Messing With Fairy Tales
by Stephiebob22
Summary: Ginny is Hermione's best girl friend, but the redhead thinks the chances of it working out with the guy are better than the brunette expects. Ginny enlists Fred, George, and a book of Muggle children's stories to help. Post-DH, EWE? Disclaimer: not mine.
1. Prologue

**The inspiration for this fic was actually another one that I read. I asked MallowCakes if I could use her fic **_**Once Upon a Potions Class**_** as a springboard for one of my own, and she was nice enough to agree! (That story is awesome, btw, and I highly recommend reading it as well.)**

**Set post-Deathly Hallows (ignoring the epilogue, of course). It's an AU fic only because Fred and Severus have not died. I hope you enjoy it!**

- o0O0o - **Ginny's POV** - o0O0o -

Hermione Granger might well be the most aggravating woman on the planet!

Sure, I love her to death—she's like the big sister that I never had. And we're as close as two girl friends can be.

But she still gets on my nerves sometimes.

I mean, the girl knows absolutely everything about _everything_….

Except her feelings.

Do you know that I had to tell her in her fourth year after the Yule Ball that she only went with Viktor Krum because she wanted to make Ron jealous? (Well, and because he was the first to ask her, but still….) I mean, come _on!_ Even _Harry_ knew that she and Ron were pining after each other for years! How thick can a girl get?

And _then_, after I knew that she had gotten over Ron—he really screwed himself over when he went out with Lavender in their sixth year despite the fact that he _really_ wanted to be dating Hermione—she wouldn't admit that she had lost any feelings other than friendship for him. I had to give her scenarios of Ron going out with other people for weeks before she finally caved and admitted that she didn't care who he dated as long as it wasn't her (or Lavender, but I don't blame her for wanting to keep her best friend away from that bimbo).

What was the most surprising for me was discovering during their fifth year that Hermione had a crush on a certain dark Potions Master.

It took until Easter of the next year for me to get Hermione to admit it to me, but she insisted that it was just a silly, school-girl crush. I assumed that what she was telling me was true, because who could have honest-to-goodness feelings for the greasy bat of the dungeons? And so Hermione and I were both convinced that she was simply attracted to his dark nature and his intelligence (because it _is_ Hermione that we're talking about, and no one can deny that Snape is a clever devil).

At least, we were convinced until the end of sixth year. The morning after Dumbledore's death, I woke early and went down to the common room, finding an incredibly distraught Hermione weeping on the couch. I sat next to her, questioning her with my eyes. "Dumbledore?" I had asked.

A new wave of tears and sobs wracked her being as she shook her head violently. Eventually, she was able to stammer out, "S-S-Severus!" It was then that we both realized that Hermione's feelings for the man were far deeper than either of us had wanted to admit, though I suspect that we both knew subconsciously all along. Again, it was _Hermione_; she never does anything half-way. I held her for over an hour while she sobbed, intermittently explaining why and how she had fallen for him. Her biggest turn-ons (though she hadn't described them that way herself) were his intelligence, his dark wit, and (surprisingly) his teaching style. ("I know he seems tough, but his methods force us to learn," she'd insisted. "Even Neville, who messes up all the time, manages to do well on his homework and pass the term exams!") When the boys came down and noted her severely-emotional state with concern, I simply said, "Last night…." I knew they would misunderstand, and I let them draw their own conclusions.

The school year that followed was Hades for me. Every time I saw Snape, I was a mess, torn between fury at his actions and pain for the betrayal that my best girl friend felt at knowing—or so we thought—that Snape had betrayed us all. For the most part, my actions with the DA were driven by a desire to oust Voldemort, but my issues with the idiotic, cruel, and deceitful Headmaster fueled my fury and my courage. I had a personal vendetta against the man, and it kept me going. I had to avenge Hermione even if Snape didn't know what he had done to her.

Imagine my surprise when we learned of his innocence. For two days, Hermione would come to me at random moments and break down in my arms for an entirely different reason—he had _not_ betrayed us, she had doubted him, and…she thought he had died without being able to tell him that she loved him.

Then, on the third day, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were summoned to St. Mungo's. Harry requested that I be permitted to go along, as we were currently spending as little time separated as possible, and the security at the hospital granted the request simply because it was The Boy Who Lived Again asking for the allowance.

When we'd been led into the private ward and seen the Potions Master lying, unconscious but very _alive_, on the bed, Hermione turned to me with wonder and relief on her face, collapsing in my arms, releasing even more tears over the man, this time in relief. The boys didn't understand her reaction, but they were busy marveling at the fact that Snape had survived, even when they had _seen_ him lose all that blood…. So they didn't pay either of us much attention during the short span of time we were in the ward at the hospital.

Over the summer, Hermione and I discussed the man quite often. She informed me about halfway through the summer that, while her feelings had been legitimate before, she now had several more reasons to love him: he was selfless, dedicated, courageous, and unfailingly loyal.

All those who would have been at Hogwarts the previous year were encouraged to come back and repeat that school year, as no one had learned much even if they _had_ been in attendance. All of the students who would have been seventh years that hadn't perished in the war were returning. And Snape would be returning to his post as professor of Potions, under McGonagall as Headmistress. Hermione was, naturally, a little distressed over this news, as she didn't know how to act around the man anymore, knowing how her feelings had progressed.

During our talks that summer, we deduced that, while Hermione wouldn't technically be _wrong_ to say that she loved Severus Snape, it certainly wasn't a very deep love; they hadn't spent any time together, after all, and the last time they actually _had_ spoken was more than a year previous. And while she expected that, given the chance, her feelings for him could grow in both depth and passion, she didn't expect that the opportunity would ever arise. He was, after all, her teacher, nearly twenty years her senior, and, according to the memories he had given Harry before he "died," still deeply in love with a woman who had died almost seventeen years previous (not to mention that said woman had given birth to Hermione's best friend).

About a week before we would get on the Hogwarts Express, Hermione and I wandered down a street in Diagon Alley, enjoying some girl-time while window shopping. Spotting a quaint-looking book shop and knowing that Hermione would want to head inside, I stopped her with a hand on her arm and led her in.

We wandered aimlessly among the shelves, looking at covers that caught our eye as we chatted…about Professor Snape, of course.

Hermione sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "I just don't know, Gin." I didn't respond, knowing that she'd clarify. "How do I act around him? I'm still technically a student, but before three weeks of school are gone, I'll have already turned nineteen! If I'm honest with myself, I could take my NEWTs now and be done, but I want to enjoy my last year of school. I still don't know what I want to do with my life, either, though…if I could manage to convince him, I'd love for Severus to take me on as an apprentice, either during this school year or after I take my NEWTs."

I smiled brightly at her. "That's a great idea, Herms! You've always had a love of the subject, which I didn't really understand before as it seemed to be where you struggled the most, but I suppose that's _why_ you love it so much. You're the type of woman who likes a challenge." After a moment, I laughed a little and said, "That must be why you're in love with Snape!"

Hermione rolled her eyes but chuckled just the same. I looked away from her face to the books in front of me. We had made our way to the children's section while we bantered. Just at eye level for me was a very eye-catching book with a lengthy title. I pulled it down and read the front cover: _Muggle Children's Entertainment: Bible Stories, Greek Myths, and Fairy Tales_.

Interested, I showed Hermione the book. We held it between us while she opened it to the table of contents. "These are stories that I read and watched when I was little," Hermione explained. "My mum and dad aren't very religious, but my mum's parents are, and they read Bible stories to me a lot. I have read some of the fairy tales and all of the Greek myths that are listed, and the rest of the fairy tales I've watched. You remember me telling you about movies and the telly?" she asked me.

I nodded. "Like a play that you watch in a little box, right?"

Hermione giggled and said, "Something like that. I'll have to show you some time. Anyway, these were the stories I heard as a child. Some of these aren't as popular, but most you could compare to the Beedle the Bard stories for wizard children."

I was fascinated, and Hermione, as a present for me, insisted on buying me the book.

The last stop we made that day was Fred and George's shop. Fred whisked Hermione away nearly as soon as we entered, wanting to employ her Charms expertise in a product issue that the twins had been trying to solve for several weeks. George and I visited while they were busy in the back room.

With a somewhat concerned look, George said, "What's bothering you, Gin? You keep looking at the door to the back room with a weird look on your face."

I grimaced slightly; it wasn't my secret to tell, but George was incredibly perceptive, and I knew I wouldn't be able to lie. "It's Hermione. She's….There's this bloke…."

Revelation dawned on my brother's face. "Ah. Say no more. Is it one-sided, then?"

I shrugged at him. "She's too afraid to do anything about it, and this particular bloke….Let's just say that if someone else doesn't do something about it, there's no way in Hades that he'd ever tell how he felt, one way or the other."

Nodding slightly, George's eyes glazed over in thought. After a moment, his eyes alighted on the book I was clutching. When he asked about it and I had explained, George's eyes got the mischievous glint that I could never decide boded well or ill. He asked if there were any romance stories in it. I thought back to the little Hermione had told me about the stories inside. "I think so. Why do you ask?"

George pulled me back behind the counter and through another door, into a stock room of sorts. He pulled a jar of clear, burnt-orange liquid down from a shelf. Smiling devilishly, he said, "This is one of the main ingredients in our Daydream Creams. They work better than the charms because you can add something of your own element to them. This potion is the one that creates a situation based on what you put into it. Fred and I might be able to adapt it to fit those stories of yours, maybe even put a timed-release spell into it that will set off the affects at a specific moment. If Fred and I can get the formula right and you can add a small piece of the book—the corner of a page should do just fine—and get both Hermione and her bloke to drink some of the potion, I think we could get them…trapped?...in the book. They'd have to play out the characters in each story. If the romance in any of those stories is in any way realistic, they should have no problems confessing their attraction for each other when they get through the book."

I was torn between strangling and hugging my brother. _Clever little idiot might just be onto something_, I thought. "George, you are either really smart or really stupid."

"Or both," he offered, eyes sparkling. I decided that this was the perfect plan; Snape and Hermione would have a chance at getting together, Fred and George would have a project to work on that would challenge and intrigue them, and I would have the satisfaction of making the lives of at least four people that much more interesting and happy. It was a win-win-win-win-win situation.

"Get right on it, George," I said, smiling warmly at him. "If I can give Hermione the love of her life for Christmas, I might just be getting favors from my best friend for the rest of my life!" I jokingly added. George and I left the back room laughing, both of us feeling mischievous and light-hearted. Hermione spotted us and narrowed her eyes.

"What are you two up to?" she asked suspiciously.

I looked at George, feigning surprise. "What do you mean? We're not up to anything. Well, I guess I should only speak for myself. George is _always_ up to something."

Hermione didn't look convinced, but she dropped it.

I had been excited for school before, but now I was beyond ecstatic. What a year awaited my friends and me!


	2. Chapter 1

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_Ginny is most certainly up to something_, I thought to myself as we crowded into a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Ever since that day in Diagon Alley, she had been carrying that ridiculous book around with her. At this point, I was regretting having bought it for her. The funny part was, she rarely ever opened it to read from it! It was more like she was protecting it or something. I don't know what she was thinking, but it was obvious from the look on her face at Fred and George's shop that she was up to something _no good_, and I was almost certain it had to do with that bloody book.

Ron soon pushed Ginny out of my mind as I attempted to avoid sitting next to him. Honestly, what part about "I didn't want to die before getting my first snog" could he not understand? I no longer had any feelings for him, but the reality of our likely-imminent deaths made me rash, and I snogged him. What eighteen-year-old woman who had never had more than a peck would have done any different were she in my position? _Merlin_, that boy was getting on my nerves! All summer, he kept trying to get me alone and repeat that ridiculous moment of insanity, and no matter how I tried to explain to him why it couldn't happen, he just never got it through his thick skull.

When Neville and Luna left the compartment to go visit some other friends of theirs, leaving Harry, Ron, Ginny, and I alone in the compartment, I rounded on him. "Ronald Weasley, I _swear_ that if you try to put your arm around my shoulders one more time I'm going to hex you. I've been telling you all summer that that kiss was a mistake, but you wouldn't listen! We are _not_ dating, and I never _will_ date you, so kindly keep your hands to yourself!" And with that, I stalked out of the compartment towards the front of the train to meet with the Head Boy.

I shivered. What McGonagall was thinking when she paired me as Head Girl with Malfoy as Head Boy, I'll never know. Still, I refused to be walked all over; we were going to get along this year if it killed both of us.

Interestingly, the meeting went fairly well. I remained cordial throughout, and Draco didn't talk much. We agreed to attempt civility, and he apologized for his past rudeness and stupidity. I apologized for slapping him in third year. When we were finished with the meeting, neither of us moved.

Looking at me quizzically, Draco said, "You can leave now, Granger."

Huffing, I said, "I don't really want to go back to my compartment." He raised an eyebrow at me, clearly inviting me to explain. "Just before I came here, I sort of…yelled at Ron, and…it's going to be awkward when I go back."

Chuckling, Malfoy said, "What did the weasel-king do now?"

I ignored the nickname. "He seems to be under the impression that one kiss—in the middle of a battle with the likelihood that I would die before I could be properly snogged, mind you—meant a relationship. I've been trying all summer to let him down easily, but today was the straw that broke the camel's back. I snapped at him to keep his hands off, and I didn't stay long enough for anyone to respond." My face was slightly flushed in embarrassment, but I looked at Malfoy while I talked, anyway.

Malfoy snickered and said, "He isn't one for subtlety, is he? Using or interpreting, it seems."

"No, he isn't," I admitted, shaking my head. "And I should have realized that, as we've been friends for so long, but it usually isn't in my nature to be so direct when it comes to talking about my…romantic feelings. I may be a Gryffindor, but I do have _some_ sense of self-preservation." After a moment, a thought occurred to me. "Why aren't _you_ going back to your compartment?"

Draco grimaced and said, "Nobody's talking to me just now, and I prefer to sit in silence instead of sit in the middle of a conversation but be completely ignored."

Drawing my eyebrows down, I said, "Why are they ignoring you?"

Shrugging, Draco said, "I think it's 'cause they all know which side I would have chosen if I'd had the opportunity to choose. We may not be Hufflepuffs, but Slytherins take house loyalty very seriously, and they all know that I hated the Dark Lord. The only person from my own House that ever did anything to help me was Uncle Severus, and I pushed him away because I didn't want to drag him down with me when I failed, as I knew I would." He was practically whispering by the end.

I could feel my blush returning slightly at the mention of the man's name. "'Uncle' Severus?"

"Yeah, Severus is my Godfather. Didn't you know?"

I just shook my head. Maybe if I could become good friends with Draco, I could… _NO!_ I yelled at myself. _Hermione Jean Granger, you are supposed to be getting over these ridiculous thoughts and feelings! They will do you no good! Severus would reject you for sure, regardless of how much he got to know you first. Just forget about it!_

But I couldn't forget. I had been trying all summer, but I had learned a valuable lesson. When you are attempting to forget something, that thing will inevitably be on your mind almost constantly. Even attempting to distract myself with studying, hanging with the boys, or spending girl-time with Ginny didn't help. Every book I read made me wonder if Severus had read it, liked it, agreed with it. Whenever I was near Ron, I thought about how much more worthy of my affections Severus was than Ron. And time alone with Ginny was the worst, because she was the only one with whom I could discuss my feelings out loud. I felt like an awful friend, monopolizing her time all summer that way, but I had _really_ needed someone, and she'd been there for me the whole time. I really needed to do something nice for her.

After I found out what she was up to, that is.

I left the compartment soon after, telling Draco that I had better keep exercising my Gryffindor courage or I'd lose it. He had laughed at that, and I enjoyed the sound. Maybe spending the year working alongside the Slytherin wouldn't be so bad after all.

- o0O0o - **Harry's POV** - o0O0o -

The two most important women in my life were up to something.

I had started noticing it over the summer. Hermione, Ron, and I would be hanging out, and then Hermione would suddenly get the urge to find Ginny for "girl-time." Or I'd be lounging around with Ginny, Hermione would appear in the door way, and Ginny would apologize to me before kissing me and scampering off after my best friend.

I thought at first that it might have had something to do with the fact that nothing real had happened between Hermione and Ron since their kiss. Then I noticed that Hermione would pull away whenever Ron got too friendly with her, and I changed my mind.

But my suspicions didn't let up. And then Hermione had yelled at Ron before scampering out of the compartment. I turned immediately to Ginny. "Alright, Gin, what on earth is going on with Hermione? And don't give me 'it's nothing, Harry,' because _that _was not 'nothing.' You are up to something. Tell me."

Ginny frowned at me. "It's not my place to tell. If Hermione hasn't shared it with you, you'll just have to ask her about it. I've given her my word that I wouldn't tell a soul."

Ron, face red from both anger and embarrassment, said, "It's a bloke, isn't it?"

Usually, Ginny had a pretty good poker face. She'd needed one in the house she'd grown up in. But when Ron had an unexpected moment of pure insight, it was difficult for anyone to keep their surprise in check, even a master like my girlfriend.

Groaning, Ron said, "I already lost her and I haven't even really got her yet!" Rounding on his sister, he said, "Who is it?"

_This_ Ginny had obviously expected. She rolled her eyes and explained, "I've just told you that I won't utter a word, Ron. You caught me off guard when you guessed if there was a guy, but any idiot's next question would have been 'who.' Besides, this isn't something you'd be able to read from my face even if I _hadn't_ been expecting you to ask."

"So we don't know him, then?" I asked, knowing I wouldn't really get an answer but unable to resist regardless.

"Didn't say that."

"So we _do_ know him!" Ron practically shouted.

Rolling her eyes again, Ginny responded, "I didn't say that either."

Now getting into the teasing, I said, "So we know _of_ him, but we don't really _know_ him, then."

I was surprised to see Ginny look at me with slightly incredulous eyes before her mask dropped again. "I won't tell, so you might as well stop asking."

Not about to push it any further (at least, not at the moment) because of the stern look on Ginny's face, I turned to Ron and started up a Quidditch conversation. Ginny didn't relax once until Hermione returned to the compartment some time later.

- o0O0o - **Ginny's POV** - o0O0o -

I was freaking out. Harry is just too bloody smart for his own good! And the man can read me like yesterday's _Daily Prophet_. He was pretty on the mark with the "we know him but don't _know_ him" comment, and I'm sure that he could figure it out eventually.

Not that he wouldn't have done if I didn't give anything away. Harry is much more perceptive than Ron, and he and Hermione have always been like brother and sister. I'm sure if he observed her during school over the next few weeks, he'd be able to pick up on in. He'll just figure it out much more quickly now since he knows that it's a bloke and that it's someone we don't hang out with. As much as I hate to—I really don't want to end up on the receiving end of a hex, or worse—I think I'll have to tell Hermione that I slipped.

It's not _really_ my fault, though! The boys were the ones who noticed that she's been acting oddly, and Ron guessed that it was about a guy. I didn't do anything wrong…. Well, not _really_, anyway. She'll forgive me….

Eventually.

If my plan works out and I can shove her and Snape together and get him to fall for her as hard as she's fallen for him. It shouldn't be too difficult for a man to fall in love with Hermione. After all, she's very intelligent, incredibly funny, kind, compassionate, and spunky, and now that her hair has calmed down a bit, she's really very attractive.

Okay, I'm going to stop there before I make you think that _I_ am in love with her.

Which I'm not, just so you know. I don't swing that way.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just not me.

Okay, I'm going to shut up now and let Hermione tell you about the rest of the train ride.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

Ginny seemed tense when I slid the compartment door open, but she visibly relaxed when she noticed it was me. _Great_, I thought, _what situation have I walked into _this_ time?_

But the boys were just having a typical conversation, one in which I had no interest whatsoever. After about five minutes of sitting and staring out the window, Gin said, "Herms, let's go find Neville and Luna, yeah?"

Ready to do anything but sit there and continue listening to the Quidditch talk, I nodded and followed Ginny out of the compartment. Once outside, she led me in the direction of the loos. "You know for sure that Neville and Luna are in the loo?" I asked skeptically.

Sighing, Ginny said, "No, I just needed to get out of there with you so that I could talk to you. It's important."

She pulled me into an unoccupied loo and locked the door. It was very cramped, but that was the least of my worries. Ginny had a look on her face that said clearly, 'We have a serious problem.'

"What is it, Gin?"

She wouldn't look at me while she told me what the boys had deduced from their very short conversation after I had left. I was stunned at how much the pair had managed to guess correctly so quickly…. And then I was worried about how soon they would figure out just _which_ man they didn't _know_ was the one I was mooning after….

"Bollocks."

Ginny huffed and said, "My thoughts exactly."

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I said, "Well, I'll just have to be extra-careful about hiding my feelings, that's all."

The redhead seemed to steal her courage before saying, very quickly, "I-think-you-should-tell-them."

I blinked. And then I blinked again. "What's the punch-line?"

Rolling her eyes at me, Ginny said, "No punch-line, Hermione. I think you should tell the boys who you're in love with before they figure it out on their own. They'll be much more accepting of it if you trust them enough to tell them instead of waiting for them to find out and get angry with you. Believe me, it's in your best interests to be the one to tell them about the whole thing."

I closed my eyes and sighed. I knew Ginny was right, that the boys would figure out anyway and that it would be best if they heard it from me directly. Still…. "Why do they have to find out at all?"

Now Ginny looked aggravated. "Hermione Jean Granger, if you and Snape start dating, don't you think your best friends should know?"

I couldn't help it; I started cracking up. "Right! Because it's _absolutely_ going to happen, so I should tell them now so that they won't kill Severus when I bring him home to his first Weasley dinner. Good one, Ginny!"

"_Hermione!_" I stopped laughing at once when she shouted at me. The look on her face was so Molly-esque that I almost did a double-take. "I know that you don't have a lot of confidence in something working out here, and I get that. But if I've learned one thing over the years, it's that you should never rule anything out. I'm being completely serious. Recall that I said 'if,' not 'when.' _If_ you and Snape ever got into a relationship, don't you think your two best friends would like to be able to say that they knew about your feelings before anything came of them? I think they would both appreciate—in the future, at least—having known ahead of time. If nothing else, it will make news of a relationship less of a shock."

I contemplated Ginny's words. While I desperately wanted something to happen between Severus and I, I also knew what a long-shot that outcome would be. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but…Ginny was right that Harry and Ron would probably (eventually) appreciate that I had confided in them early, regardless of whether my feelings were returned or my heart got broken. Either way, I'd want them to be there for me. I took in a deep breath, letting it out with a sigh, before saying, "You're right, Gin. I'll talk to them tonight, after the feast. Help me keep them up late so we can have the common room to ourselves? And you'll stay with me while I tell them, right?"

My best girl friend smiled warmly at me and said, "Yes on both counts. This is going to be one interesting evening!"

As we left the loo, I muttered, "Understatement of the century," under my breath.


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I forgot to mention at the end of last chapter that I think I've decided it is Hermione's 'time of the month.' She was a little erratic on the train ride, and I can't really attribute it to anything but hormones, so that's what I've decided to blame. :)**

**And the story continues….**

- o0O0o - **Ron's POV** - o0O0o -

_How could I have possibly missed all of those signals all summer long?_ I think to myself as I shovel down the delicacies of my last ever Hogwarts Welcoming Feast. People are always chastising me for my eating habits, but they just don't get that I do my best thinking during meals. I get so lost in my thoughts that I subconsciously move food from my plate to my mouth. The harder I'm thinking, the faster I eat.

Okay, maybe that's exaggerating a little bit. Most of the time, I eat a lot because I like to eat a lot. But I am a teenage boy. People don't really expect anything different of me, do they?

Anyway, as I gorged myself and thought about all that had happened between me and Hermione all summer, I suddenly realized that her feelings today didn't come out of the blue. She'd been subtly pushing me away from her all summer, but because my powers of deduction aren't really that great, it took her screaming at me to make me figure it out.

Of course, that didn't mean that I'd forgiven her for the way she yelled at me. I have pride, after all.

But all through dinner, I could tell that Hermione was nervous about something. Just because I wasn't talking to her didn't mean that I didn't notice everything she did, such as biting her lip with a far-away look in her eyes, or flinching every so often for no apparent reason. Something was going on, and—though I wouldn't ask her about it—I desperately wanted to know what it was. I hoped that she would tell Harry soon so that he could fill me in.

I didn't expect that she would want to tell me herself, but it became obvious that this was the case when she and Ginny wouldn't let us go to bed right after dinner.

It was almost eleven o'clock when the common room finally emptied except for our little group. Ginny gave Hermione a meaningful look and said, "Harry, Ron, Hermione has something she would like to tell you both."

Hermione sent Ginny a pleading look—I was proud to see that my little sister didn't back down—before taking a deep breath. "Well, you see…it's…. Oh, Merlin, I'll just say it."

She took another deep breath, closed her eyes, and said, as quickly as possible, "I'm-in-love-with-Professor-Snape."

Harry's jaw dropped open. My brain stopped functioning momentarily.

"_What_?" Harry demanded.

"I'm…in love with…Professor Snape." Hermione's face had gone quite red.

"_How_ is that even _possible_?" Harry demanded. "What could you _possibly_ see in him that would make you _love_ him?"

Indignantly, Hermione said, "Harry, there is _plenty_ about him that's enough to make a woman fall for him! You of _all_ people should know that the way he's acted over the years is mostly due to the experiences of his childhood and his position as a spy for the Order!"

Sputtering, Harry asked, "But…to actually _love_ him…. He's old enough to be your _father_, for Merlin's sake!"

"Regardless," Hermione said firmly, "I _am_ in love with him."

Feeling betrayed, hurt, and angry, I said, "And you felt the need to tell us, _why_?"

Ginny looked at me murderously and said, "Because you two are her best friends, and you deserve to know. If something happens between them, she wanted you to be prepared and to know that she had cared about you enough to tell you about her feelings beforehand. And if she gets her heart broken, she won't have to explain her pain in the midst of the three of us consoling her over it. I hope, _Ronald_, that in the future you will be able to accept how much Hermione has put herself on the line by telling the two of you that she's in love with someone that the two of you see even now as a cruel, deceitful man."

Harry took on a sad, placating tone. "Hermione…you know that Snape's in love with my mum."

Hermione heaved a sigh and said, "Yes, Harry, I'm aware."

"So why woul—"

"Harry, I can't help how I feel! I didn't _choose_ to fall in love with him! It just happened."

I couldn't take anymore of this conversation. "I'm going to bed." Without another word, I disappeared upstairs to the dormitory.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_Well, that could have gone better,_ I thought gloomily, watching Ron heading upstairs.

_It could have been worse, too,_ my more optimistic side assured me.

Ginny sighed and said, "He took it better than I thought he would."

Harry narrowed his eyes at Ginny. "How long have you known?"

Shrugging, Ginny said, "As long as Hermione has, almost. She realized she had a crush on him sometime before Christmas during your fifth year."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Harry said, "I just…_Snape_, Hermione?"

Nodding slightly, I said, "He's very intelligent. Sarcastic. A good teacher, even if you won't admit it. Loyal. Courageous. Sexy as all get-out—"

Eyes bugging, Harry choked out, "_Sexy_?"

"Yes, Harry," Ginny said, scoffing. "You're a guy, so you probably don't see it. But Snape has a dark, mysterious quality to him, and his hair isn't greasy like you boys all seem to think. It's just shiny, and it's probably incredibly soft. And his _voice_…"

I growled at Ginny before saying, "That's _my_ wizard you're talking about. You have your own!"

Smiling devilishly at me, Ginny said, "So he's _your_ wizard, is he? Is Snape aware of that fact?"

I could tell that my face was on fire. _Why did I say that? He's not mine, and he never will be!_

Apparently, my thoughts were written all over my face. "Hermione Granger, stop that pessimistic attitude this instant!" She turned to Harry and said, "I'm not finished talking to you, so wait for me. I'm just going to walk Hermione up to bed, and I'll be right back."

When we reached the landing at my dormitory door, Ginny turned to me and said, "Hermione, just let things happen. I don't know if or when you two will get a chance, but I don't want your negative attitude to jinx things."

I breathed deeply and said, "Alright, Ginny, I'll 'go with the flow,'" as I opened the door to my dorm. "Good night."

- o0O0o - **Ginny's POV** - o0O0o -

After I left Hermione at her dorm, I headed back down to the common room. I sat next to Harry and said, without preamble, "I'm going to get Hermione and Snape together. I already have Fred and George on board—though they only know it's a bloke, they aren't aware that it's Snape—and I want your help, too. I don't care what you think of Snape; this is about Hermione. She's like your sister, and she loves him. Not to mention, she's convinced herself that it could never happen, and she's resigned herself to a life alone because of it, and I refuse to let that happen. So you're going to help me whether you like it or not."

Grudgingly, Harry agreed to at least listen to my plan. I explained the idea to him while he thumbed through the book Hermione had bought for me.

When I'd finished with my monologue, we sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Harry looked up and said, "Well, it's a solid plan. It allows the two of them to be thrust into a romantic setting without Hermione knowing about it beforehand—that wouldn't get a good reaction out of Snape, I'd wager. It'll let them fall in love or fall apart on their own, too, without the influence of potions or magic, at least not on themselves." He took a breath and continued. "So why do you need my help?"

"I'll need help getting the potion to Snape," I explained. "He was a spy for more than fifteen years, so I doubt slipping him something in his morning tea is going to work. That's where you, and hopefully Ron, will come in. It'll be your job to figure out how to get him to drink the potion."

Harry nodded reluctantly. "I suppose we can do that. It'll take a _lot_ of planning, though, and I'll need to get Ron back on Hermione's side before I can convince him to help."

I nodded, explaining that they had some time, as the twins needed to tweak and test the potion before we could implement a plan, anyway.

Harry sighed and shook his head. "I dunno, Gin. I mean…it's _Snape_. I don't think he'll ever love anyone other than my mum. And he's so…_old_. I mean, he's like twenty years older than Hermione, isn't he?"

I shrugged. "Almost, but that isn't much in the wizarding world. When you easily live to 150 years before you truly start to age, twenty years isn't much of a difference. And how do you know he could never love anyone besides your mum? It seems to me that he loved her because she was his only friend. Maybe if someone else would show an interest in him, he'd be willing to give away his heart again." And with that, I left my boyfriend to stew in his own thoughts, making my way longingly to my crimson four-poster.

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

_**The next day, during seventh-year NEWT potions….**_

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

The Golden Trio was definitely up to something.

Granger was avoiding my gaze at all costs, which was unusual in and of itself. Add on top of that Weasley's narrowed eyes and Potter's calculating glances, and it equaled something I was sure I wanted nothing to do with. I decided to put it out of my mind for the remainder of the class period.

Instead, my thoughts moved back over what had happened during the war. My sense of guilt over Lily and Potter Senior's deaths had vanished with the Dark Lord. I had been partly responsible for their demise, but the _blame_ never truly rested on my shoulders. It was not _I_ that decided their lives were forfeit, and neither did I cast the Killing Curse. I just wasn't able to see the logic in this line of thought while the party truly guilty of ending the Potters' lives still lived himself.

I had almost not made it through the war. If I hadn't been planning for years the different ways in which I could die (and therefore planning how to avoid doing so), I may never have made it out of the Shrieking Shack.

Thoughts of that building brought back the reality of how my name had been exonerated. Potter had misconstrued my feelings for his mother—I had loved her during our school days, yes, and as more than a friend, but my romantic idolization of her ended when she cut off association with me. I needed my best friend—and that is exactly what she was to me—at that time more than ever, and she abandoned me. Though I never stopped caring for her as a friend, even a sister, romance was no longer a part of what I felt for her. When she and Potter Senior were killed, leaving the Boy Who Lived to Be the Bane of My Existence as an orphan, I stayed with Dumbledore and the Order out of loyalty to the only true friend I had ever had. I vowed to protect her son to make up for the many betrayals that Lily and I had committed against each other.

Oh, I had others that I would consider as more than acquaintances, sure. The Malfoys were always a large part of my life. Though I suspected that Lucius started his association with me because he thought I showed too much magical potential to be overlooked, we soon developed a somewhat-friendly bond. Enough that he asked me to be Godfather to his son.

Dumbledore always claimed friendship with me. I was never sure whether to take everything the old man said at face value. There were times that the twinkle in his eye made me want to trust him completely; other times, it made me wildly suspicious of his motives.

Minerva McGonagall and Poppy Pomfrey were probably the closest I'd ever had to friends outside of Lily. They both constantly fussed over me, never (with the exception of the previous school year) shunning me or forgetting a birthday or Christmas card and gift. Poppy always took good care of me physically after difficult meetings with the Dark Lord. Minerva kept me sane during the most trying times of my teaching career by keeping me company and sharing the load of grading papers and overseeing detentions.

What's sad is that the biggest relief over the years came in the form of a particular student, namely a highly-intelligent Gryffindor witch that was currently completely ignoring my presence while completing the day's assignment to near perfection.

Hermione Granger.

I was thoroughly buggered, that was for sure.

It was apparent to me throughout the Trio's first year that Granger would be vital to Potter's success. She kept both boys focused enough on school work so as not to fall behind, but she also allowed for free time and saving the world on top of their lessons.

In their second year, when she had the accident with the Polyjuice Potion and the disastrous cat hair, I was so impressed with her perfect concoction that I forgot to laugh about her state, even to myself.

I specifically set the essay about werewolves for the third years hoping that Granger would catch on and, hopefully, spread the word, thereby getting rid of the Marauder for me and saving my hide from Dumbledore's wrath. Unfortunately, she was far nobler than I expected, and I ended up having to oust Lupin myself, anyway.

Potter never would have survived the Triwizard Tournament without her help; of that I was completely certain.

When I learned later that the DA was Granger's idea, I wasn't at all surprised. What _did_ surprise me was discovering that she had found a way to get away from Umbridge so that the Trio and their three followers could actually _get to London themselves_ and attempt to save the day. I'd always had a grudging respect for the girl's intelligence, but that was the first instance that I'd seen her cunning. As stupid as it was for them to go on their own, it did at least convince the Ministry to accept the fact that the Dark Lord had returned, and that in and of itself was a great feat.

Their sixth year was a difficult one for me. Draco and I were very close through the whole of the year, but we had to make it seem as though he wanted nothing to do with me; it was part of the plan to keep Draco safe, do the Dark Lord's bidding, and give Draco evidence that he was never truly on the Dark Lord's side all at the same time. Convincing everyone else—including Dumbledore—that Draco was willingly following the Dark Lord's orders was a nearly-impossible task, and it didn't have the desired affect; at least, not on Potter. He was meant to realize that I was trying to _stop_ Draco, but he got it into his head that I wanted the glory for myself. The one time the boy actually believed my Godson, and it was the exact _opposite_ of what he was supposed to believe.

Of course, I had expected that; Dumbledore hadn't. The old coot had expected that the Trio would trust him enough to trust me, even after I had killed the wizard. How he had thought that, I'll never know, but I had prepared for the likelihood that no one would be on my side the following school year.

Towards the end of that year, when I knew the time was nearing that I'd have to fulfill my Vow and my promise to Dumbledore, I started to actually _worry_ about Granger believing in my guilt just as everyone else likely would. I tried to tell myself that I picked her because she was actually intelligent enough to figure out where my loyalties actually laid, while few others could claim that ability; that was just bollocks. I knew she'd always defended me against the slanderous remarks of her peers, and I am a man of loyalty; if someone gives me kindness or friendship, then they have my faith and protection. Often my feelings extend far beyond what could actually be called reciprocation (remember that I kept caring for Lily and her son long after she had rejected me). I wanted her to continue believing in me even though I wouldn't—_couldn't_—ask that of anyone.

I just wanted a real friend. If she hadn't been my student, I think Granger truly _could_ have been my friend.

When their little group was brought to the hospital upon my request, I pretended to be asleep, but I wasn't. I had expected many things, but Granger's sobs were not among those. Even more amazing to me was what the Weasley girl had whispered to her friend, comforting her. I doubt the boys would have heard; my spying years have trained me to listen in to other's conversations, and having my eyes closed and most of my body numb meant that more of my focus could be on the sounds in the room….

"_Hermione, it's okay, he's alive! He didn't die like you thought, though I could kill him myself for putting you through that fright." Granger laughed shakily for a moment before lapsing back into sobs. "Oh, Hermione, everything is going to be just fine. He'll be out of hospital in no time, you'll see."_

_Very carefully, so as not to alert the boys, she whispered back through her sobs, "I'm j-just s-s-so…_relieved_! I-I-I th-thought…."_

"_I know. I know. But he's going to be alright. Everything is going to work out, somehow."_

I didn't know exactly what the "everything" was that the Weasley girl was referring to, but I hardly puzzled over that. Most of my attention was caught by the fact that Granger was relieved to see me alive.

Maybe I had a friend in the girl, after all.

And the hope that I was right was exactly why I was utterly buggered.

My attention snapped suddenly back to the present as my peripheral vision caught a movement from the Trio's table. There were still twenty minutes of class, but Granger was already cleaning up her station. Realizing that she must have finished early, I stood from my desk and went to inspect the potion.

I very nearly made a disparaging remark—and an incorrect one—about her desire to show off, but I caught myself in time. I no longer had a role to fulfill, and I could speak as I saw fit. While the potion was by no means inspired, it was nevertheless well-made, and if I wanted to explore the possibility of friendship with this young woman, it wouldn't be good to continue to berate her for no reason.

"Miss Granger," I began, my teaching voice in place, "you've done well. It is a little uninspired, perhaps, but adequate. Fill a vial and place it on my desk. When you've cleaned up, you may go." Raising my voice a little, I said to the class at large, "That goes for everyone. Once you've finished, fill a vial, place it on my desk, and leave when your station is cleared."

I moved back to my desk, looking down at my lesson plans for the remainder of the day. Soon, Granger was approaching my desk with her vial. After she set it down, however, she didn't turn to leave. I looked up when she cleared her throat.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

Smiling tentatively, she said, "I'm glad that you're back, Professor." With a look in her eye that I didn't quite understand, she turned back towards her desk, picked up her bag, and left the classroom. Draco brought me his vial soon after and did the same.

The class didn't empty until a few short moments before the bell.

- o0O0o - **Harry's POV** - o0O0o -

"What was up with Snape today?" I asked Ron and Neville. The three of us were walking to the Great Hall together for lunch after our third class of the day.

Neville shrugged. He had a slightly nervous look on his face as he said, "He was tough today, for sure, but not cruel. He actually told me how to fix my potion when I screwed up halfway through."

Ron rolled his eyes and said, "If you count saying 'If you had been paying more attention, you wouldn't have to do such-and-such now to fix it' helping." He was still pouting about Hermione's attraction to our greasy-bat potions professor.

Neville looked at Ron oddly and said, "It's more than he's ever done before. He usually lets Hermione tell me how to fix it and then take points off of her for telling me what to do." After a moment of reflection, he said, "Actually, I don't remember him taking any points away all lesson! That's weird…."

I nodded, giving Ron a significant look. "It's strange, sure, but we'll have to wait and see if the change is permanent or if it was a fluke today." The guys agreed with me, and Ron soon changed the subject.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

After my Arithmancy lesson that morning, I practically ran all the way to the Great Hall. I absolutely _had_ to tell Ginny about my first potions lesson _as soon as possible!_

Just outside the staff room, I collided with a wall of solid black. I almost fell over, but a pair of alabaster hands took hold of my shoulders and steadied me before letting go.

I was half afraid and half excited as I raised my chocolate eyes to a pair that was solid black. Oddly, I found them warm and deep instead of cold and cruel.

A single black eyebrow raised high as he looked at me and said, "Anything to say for yourself, Miss Granger?"

_Merlin, the way he says my name…._ "Sorry, sir! I was hurrying down to the Great Hall for lunch. I want to tell Ginny some pretty exciting news. I wasn't watching where I was going, obviously. I'm sorry that I ran into you." I let a sheepish look come over my face, though I was anything but sorry that I ran into him. _Dang it, Hermione! Stop that this _instant_!_

Severus hummed deeply and said, "And she couldn't wait the extra two minutes it would take you to walk instead of run?" I thought there might be a small smirk on his face; it was stupid, but I wanted to test my theory that he was enjoying our interaction.

"Just because it _could_ wait doesn't mean that I wanted it to. Sir," I added as an afterthought. It was too easy to forget that he was my teacher…

_He's your teacher. This is exactly why you need to stop this, Hermione Jean Granger._

He was still smirking at me. "This wouldn't have anything to do with what was on the minds of the Golden Trio during your potions lesson this morning, would it?"

My eyes rounded, and I barely prevented myself from gasping. _Did he use Legilimency on me? Does he know how I feel about him?_ I banished that thought immediately, citing to myself the fact that if he knew, the last thing he would be doing would be having a private conversation with me about non-school-related topics. Finally, I said, "You noticed that, then? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." I took a deep breath and smirked back at him. "Yes, I suppose you could say that the two are related. But as neither breaks any school rules or has anything to do with academics, I think I'll keep both things to myself."

Both black eyebrows shot up at my semi-sass, and the amused tint in his dark eyes became more pronounced. I was talking to Severus Snape and we were _teasing_ each other!

I could have died a happy woman at that moment.

After a few seconds that were silent but not exactly awkward, I took a breath and said, "I think I should be getting to the Great Hall. I've taken even more time than I would have if I simply walked!"

Severus chuckled, and it was a beautiful sound. I found myself wanting to know what it would sound like for him to laugh deeply. "Yes, I suppose I've delayed you long enough, Miss Granger. Off with you."

It was a cheery dismissal, and I flashed him a smile before bounding away. I half-ran half-power walked the rest of the way to the Great Hall. Severus was in a good mood, and I didn't want to spoil that by running through the halls _again_. I was lucky he hadn't taken off any House points already.

- o0O0o - **Ginny's POV** - o0O0o -

Hermione practically ran to me as soon as she entered the Hall for lunch. Luckily, the seat next to me was open. She took it up immediately, excited that the boys weren't yet at the table, and proceeded to tell me about both her interactions with the Potions Master that morning.

"So," she said after relaying both occurrences, "he's not only being kinder in class, which I expect is how he would have taught all these years had he been able, but he's actually talking to _me_! We had a very pleasant, non-academic discussion that didn't end with tears, deducted House points, or me knocking him out with my wand!"

She looked so excited about this that I had to laugh. "It's an improvement, then!"

Her smile was enormous. "It _is_! I'm so happy, Gin. Maybe…. Maybe it's not that crazy to think about, after all," she ended timidly.

I put a reassuring arm around her shoulders and squeezed, saying, "Exactly, Hermione."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

That first day was an anomaly. Though I continued being gentler with my students, taking and giving points from and to all the Houses as was appropriate, I didn't have any further interactions with Granger outside of the classroom setting through the following months. In fact, nothing out of the norm happened at all until the end of November.

**I'm evil; I know! Cliff hangers suck, right? I want to have the next chapter up either today or tomorrow, though, so you shouldn't have to wait too long! :D**

**My apologies if anybody seems too OOC. I've tried to keep them as close to character as possible, but I'm not sure if I'm really succeeding. I hope you are all enjoying this so far! Lots of love! :)**


	4. Chapter 3

**So…I wanted to end this one on a huge cliffy, as well, but I'm not mean enough to do that to you guys. Instead of changing the end of the chapter, I decided to write two of them before posting them both. This way, my artistic genius (puffs chest out arrogantly, but in a very joking way) isn't compromised, and you guys won't be tempted to murder me. I think that works! Don't you? :D**

- o0O0o - **Harry****'s POV** - o0O0o -

It took about six weeks to get Hermione and Ron to talk to each other again. Ron and I were still confused, and Ron was still nursing his rejection wounds to some extent, but I was confident that we would all come out of this year with our friendships intact. At Ginny's urging, I spent some time really thinking about my best friends and realized that they really wouldn't be compatible in the long-term. While they had been through so much together and loved to hang out, their personalities were too dissimilar for a serious relationship to be feasible.

And besides, they fought _all _of the time. Not good for a marriage, in my opinion.

In mid-November on one of Hermione's patrol nights, a tapping sounded outside one of the windows of the common room, drawing everyone's gazes. A second year got up from his seat near the window to let the bird in, and it swooped over to Ginny.

With a curious look on her face, Ginny untied the missive and unrolled it, getting excited at the handwriting. Looking at Ron and I, she said happily, "It's from Fred and George!" She put the scroll down on the couch and held it open so that the three of us could read it.

_Dearest Ginny,_

_First, we would like to say how happy we are that you have embraced your inner-sneakiness. You have inspired a truly genius product, and we would like to offer you fifteen percent of our profits on its sales._

"Only fifteen?" she questioned, mock-indignation in her voice. "It was my bloody idea!"

_Secondly, while the product is a perfect plan, we experienced quite a bit of difficulty in developing it. We have neglected to keep you apprised of its progress because, for a time, we were unsure of whether it could be done. However, it is safe to say that we are very nearly there. Expect a fully-tested and Weasley-twin-approved product in early December._

_Your affectionate brothers,_

_Gred and Feorge_

I looked up at Ginny and Ron and said, "Well, it looks like we need to start formulating a plan to dose Snape. Any ideas, anyone?"

Ron looked slightly sick at the prospect of assisting Hermione in snagging the greasy git, but he refrained from commenting. He simply shrugged his shoulders and said, "Hermione's the mastermind. I dunno how we're gonna slip Snape the potion without him noticing. The man is probably as paranoid as Moody was!"

Ginny had a thoughtful look on her face. "I think you just hit the nail on the head, Ron."

Confused, he said, "What, about Moody? How's that gonna help?"

She sighed dramatically, lightly hitting Ron upside the head. "No, you twit, about Hermione. We should find a way for her to come up with a plan without knowing why we are asking or who the potion is for." After a few minutes of silent contemplation, she shouted out, "I've got it! Oh, Ron, you _are_ a genius!"

I looked at her skeptically.

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

As soon as I got back to the common room, I knew something was up. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were in a heated discussion, but Ron's gaze immediately turned to the portrait hole when the Fat Lady swung her picture to admit me.

_Were they waiting for me? Are they talking about me? What on earth is going on?_

When I got to the couches they were occupying, I understood. While it was a logical explanation, I supposed, the feeling that I didn't know the whole situation wouldn't go away.

"Hermione," Harry asked skeptically, "do you think there's any way that someone could have slipped Mad-Eye a potion. Ginny seems to think that with enough planning, anyone could have slipped something to him. _I _think he was too paranoid for anyone to be able to pull something like that off. What d'you think?"

Raising an eyebrow at them—I found myself doing this increasingly lately—I asked, "Why are you even discussing it? How did the question come about?"

Ron shrugged and said, "We were just talking about having the fake Mad-Eye for a Defense teacher in fourth year, and about his flask of Polyjuice. Harry said it was pretty typical for the man himself, and Ginny said she didn't know why he bothered, as anyone could get around that. Harry thinks she's mental." He grinned happily at that.

I rolled my eyes and said, "I'm sure that, given enough time, it could have been done."

Harry put on his 'I hate it when you gang up on me' face and said, "Alright then, Hermione Granger. I give you two weeks to come up with a realistic scenario in which someone could slip Mad-Eye a potion. To go easy on you, you can have an unlimited number of accomplices, but only you can know exactly what's going on. If you can convince me that it'll work, I'll…."

I smirked at him—another new habit; that potions professor was a bad influence! "You'll what, Harry?"

He thought for a moment before saying, "I'll help Ron with his homework for three weeks so that you don't have to!"

"Hey!" came the indignant shout from the aforementioned red-head.

"Deal."

- o0O0o - **Severus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

My instincts are rarely, if ever, wrong. And that day in seventh-year potions, my instincts were screaming at me that Potter and Company was up to something. What I couldn't figure out was whether I should do anything to stop it.

It was strange for my instincts to be unclear—either I got a feeling, or I didn't. But this time, I couldn't decide. So instead, I let fate decide for me; if they didn't involve me, I'd let them alone. If I got dragged into it, too, they'd all rue the day they had cooked up whatever plan was currently occupying them.

It was ridiculous how much all three of them were observing me lately. I hadn't experienced any truly strange behavior from the Golden Trio since the first class back in September, and their current lapse was starting to worry me just a little.

_What are they _up_ to?_

- o0O0o - **Harry****'s POV** - o0O0o -

Exactly two weeks after the challenge, Hermione came to me with the most un-Hermione-like suggestion in the world. As much as her tactic amused me, I realized the genius behind it. I told her I was off to find Ron to give him the news; what I was _really_ doing was finding him and Ginny so that we could start planning our attack. We only had a few days left of November, and it would soon be time to strike.

I just hoped Hermione would appreciate the _enormous_ amount of trouble the three of us would get into for helping her with her 'greasy issue,' as Ron had taken to calling it.

- o0O0o - **Neville****'s POV** - o0O0o -

If I didn't know better, I'd say that Harry was insane.

He wanted the sixth- and seventh-year Gryffindors to do _what_ on Friday, December 4?

- o0O0o - **Seamus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

Smirking, I thought to myself, _Harry is a genius!_

- o0O0o - **Dean****'s POV** - o0O0o -

Wicked!

- o0O0o - **Lavender****'s POV** - o0O0o -

Open-mouthed, I asked him, "Do you realize what that's going to do to my _hair_?"

- o0O0o - **Parvati****'s POV** - o0O0o -

And what is this going to accomplish, exactly? I have no idea, but…I'm oddly excited to be involved. I may just have to give Padma a heads-up, and have her spread the word to the rest of the Ravenclaws….

- o0O0o - **Ginny****'s POV** - o0O0o -

"Luna, I need you to do me a favor."

The blonde girl looked up from her textbook and regarded me across the library table. "What is it?" she asked lightly.

I started to explain what would be happening the next day, but she stopped me, saying, "Oh, Padma already told us about that. Don't worry; only the sixth- and seventh-years know. She doesn't want anybody busting us before we can have our fun!"

Smiling, I reached into my robes and pulled out a small vial. "I just need you to do something for me while all that is going on. You'll need to…."

- o0O0o - **Draco****'s POV** - o0O0o -

"Look, Potter, I know we've been tolerating each other for Hermione's sake this year, but do you really insist on bothering me during my relaxation time, as well?"

He huffed and said, "I need you to do something for me, and it'll benefit Hermione, so I expect you to come through."

I sat up, intrigued. "Go on."

Potter explained to me what would be happening the next day. "And the Slytherins weren't invited?" I asked, my hurt evident in my voice as well as on my face. Potter shook his head, saying they had only meant for Gryffindor to know ahead of time, but that it had somehow gotten out to the Ravenclaws. Potter had asked all parties involved not to spread it any further. I felt marginally better.

"Anyway," he said, getting back to his point, "there's something specific I need you to do while all that is going on. Has Hermione…."

Potter looked really uncomfortable, and I realized what he was trying to ask without giving too much away. "Has she told me that she's in love with my Godfather? Not in so many words. I guessed it, and she blushed like crazy. So, yes, I know. Why?"

Looking relieved, he continued. "Well, that's sort of why we're doing this tomorrow. It's a long story…."

And Potter proceeded to give me all the minutiae of the situation.

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

Everyone in Gryffindor was up to something. Walking to the Great Hall for dinner that Friday felt like walking to my own funeral, and the excitement and trepidation amongst my peers was not helping relax my stomach. I wanted to ask what was going on, but I doubted anyone would tell me. Obviously they were keeping a secret for a reason.

I didn't have to wait long to find out just what they were planning.

- o0O0o - **Ginny****'s POV** - o0O0o -

I caught the eyes of my co-conspirators. I mouthed, "One…two…three."

At exactly the same moment, nine voices—myself, Harry, Ron, Luna, Seamus, Dean, Parvati, Padma, and Draco—all yelled out at the top of our lungs, "FOOD FIGHT!"

It was chaos.

- o0O0o - **Luna****'s POV** - o0O0o -

When the teachers were all sufficiently preoccupied, I tipped the vial Ginny had given me upside-down over a scoop of spaghetti, picked it up with my hand, and slowly made my way to the Gryffindor table. Hermione was sitting with a horrified look on her face. I caught Ginny's eye. She put up a hand to tell me to wait until her signal.

- o0O0o - **Draco****'s POV** - o0O0o -

When the Lovegood chick got up from the Ravenclaw table, I prepared my mashed potatoes with the potion Potter had given me. At Ginny's signal, I leapt from the table, darting towards Uncle Severus and shoving the potatoes into his mouth. Hopefully the dose he swallowed would be enough….

- o0O0o - **Ginny****'s POV** - o0O0o -

We timed it perfectly. The potion was ingested by the concerned parties and poured over the title page of the book all within a matter of ten seconds—exactly the time frame that Fred and George insisted was the maximum difference under which the potion would still take effect. Whatever else happened, we had done all we could to get Severus Snape and Hermione Granger to fall in love.

I had not anticipated that Snape would have been observant enough to know something was about to happen to him and Hermione. Nor did I think that he could deduce that said something had to do with the book that I was currently holding.

- o0O0o - **Severus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

Those Gryffindors were going to die. As was my Godson.

Just as soon as I figured out what the potion had done and how to reverse it, that is.

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

Still choking on the spaghetti that Luna had shoved down my throat, I noticed an enraged Severus stand from the teachers' table and head in my direction. He veritably yanked me out of my seat, grabbing the book that Ginny was holding—_Is that the book of kids' stories that I bought Ginny over the summer?_—and dragging me out of the Great Hall all the way down to the potions professor's private labs in the dungeons, all without saying a word.

"Sir? I promise, I had _nothing_ to do with that food fight—"

"I know, Granger."

Confused, I said, "Then why did you drag me down here, sir?"

He looked at me with disapproval and said, "That was staged as a means to—"

"Slip me a potion, I know. I thought up the idea. I didn't know they wanted to slip _me_ something, though, sir. Harry just made a bet with me. He didn't think I could come up with a plan that would be sufficient to slip Mad-Eye a potion without his knowledge. When they started the food fight, I immediately knew why. I just didn't know who the target was. Apparently, it was _me_, and I've just facilitated my own downfall."

To my surprise, he laughed. Not a full-on laugh, mind you, but a chuckle nonetheless. "You were not the only target, Miss Granger."

Wide-eyed, I looked at him and said, "They got you, too?" Ginny wouldn't do something like this to me…would she? What had they given us? Oh, I hoped to Merlin it wasn't a love or lust potion….

Severus nodded, frowning. "Draco shoved a small handful of mashed potatoes down my throat."

Impossibly, my eyes popped even more widely. "Ginny got _Draco_ involved?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "It's 'Draco' now, is it?"

I blushed slightly before saying, "You know that we're friends now, don't you? I mean, he said that the two of you talk frequently…."

He disregarded the statement before saying, "It's been nearly ten minutes from the time of ingestion, and nothing has happened. I wonder whether the potion was faulty, or it is simply a timed-release concoction." Almost to himself, he mumbled, "What I wouldn't give for a vial of that stuff Weasley poured on the book."

Something about the way he said 'Weasley,' 'vial,' and 'book' in the same sentence jogged my memory.

"Fred and George Weasley are going. To. Die."

And suddenly, my professor and I were no longer standing in a potions lab in the dungeons of Hogwarts.

We were standing in a garden, still covered in food but otherwise completely naked.

**See? I **_**told**_** you it was a big cliffy! Now hit that next button, because I know you're dying right now! Save yourself and read the next chapter! :D**

**The update was for fixing a couple typing errors and one pronoun error. Nothing major.**


	5. Chapter 4

**MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ THE PREVIOUS TWO CHAPTERS! I posted Chapter 2 this afternoon and Chapters 3 and 4 just now, so make sure you're caught up. I'd hate for anyone to spoil anything for themselves because they skipped a chapter or two.**

**With that said, read on! :D**

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

Immediately upon recognizing the fact that I was _utterly starkers_, I jumped behind a tree trunk. Luckily, I hadn't seen anything of my naked professor other than the color of his skin—a rich alabaster, by the way—so there was no way that he'd be able to punish me.

Okay, I did _not_ mean for that to sound so dirty! I swear!

_Anyway_, from behind the tree, where I had my arms wrapped around my chest, I said tentatively, "Professor?"

Apparently he was lost for words, because it took several seconds before he responded. "We're in the middle of a garden, naked, and lacking belly-buttons. Any ideas, Granger?"

I hoped to _Merlin_ that he had merely _assumed_ my belly-button was missing as well.

"You did say something about the Weasley twins before we appeared here. What do they have to do with it?"

I cleared my throat and said, "It's just a hunch, sir. I suspected that Ginny and the twins were up to something before school started this year. And that same day, I bought Ginny that book that you took from her in the Great Hall. It's a book of Muggle children's stories. The first one is the Bible story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden." I looked down at my stomach, and, sure enough, I was missing a belly-button. "Do you know the story, sir?"

"Hmm, yes. I just didn't immediately make the connection between that and the lack of belly-buttons." He paused for a moment before saying, "No umbilical cords."

I was impressed with his quick thinking, though I wasn't surprised. "Yes, sir."

There was a moment of awkward silence before he said, "I suppose you'll have to find the serpent and eat the fruit, then."

I was flummoxed. "Sir?"

He sighed, but it didn't sound as though he was upset with me. "I think we'll have to make our way through the book, Granger. You know, act out each of the stories? It would be similar to reading through the book to get to the end. I don't think we'll be getting out of the book until we finish it."

I supposed that made sense. However…. "Could you…close your eyes, then, sir? So that I can…come out from behind the tree and look for the snake?"

"Sure." I didn't know what it was, but there was a hint of something in his voice. "You can come out anytime, Granger. I promise I won't look."

- o0O0o - **Severus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

"Could you…close your eyes, then, sir? So that I can…come out from behind the tree and look for the snake?"

_Oh, holy Merlin. Does she _know_ how sexu—inappropriate that sounds?_

I felt the stirrings of something even worse.

_Damn._

"Sure. You can come out anytime, Granger. I promise I won't look." _But now that you've got me thinking about not looking, all I can think of is what I would see if I _did_ look…._

_Quick, hide yourself. She probably won't look, but if it's exposed to view, she may not be able to stop herself from looking._

_Stop thinking about her looking, you pervert!_

"Okay, sir. Thank you."

_She really needs to stop calling me 'sir.' It's really not helping situations any…._

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

I walked out from behind the tree, trying my hardest not to look at Severus's body. It wouldn't be right to take advantage of the situation, after all.

That's what I told myself, but I couldn't bring myself to listen.

_Thank Merlin he's covering…himself. But sweet Salazar, those pecks! And his _arms_! I know that being a spy was probably difficult work, but those muscles are incredible!_ As I moved behind him towards a tree that seemed to be glowing, I couldn't help a look back.

And it was worth it.

Remembering that he couldn't see what was going on, I decided to commentate for the professor. "Sir, there's a tree back here that looks like it's glowing. I'm willing to bet that's the one we want. I'll be back after I eat the Forbidden Fruit."

- o0O0o - **Severus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

_It's been _far_ too long. Damn my insistence that I never employ a prostitute. Damn my morals to hell. That's the only reason that I'm continuously getting turned on by everything my student is saying._

_Keep telling yourself that. Of course, it doesn't help that everything that is coming out of her mouth is a double entendre. 'Forbidden fruit,' indeed…._

I could hear her footsteps disappearing behind me, and I couldn't help but wonder if she'd looked at my backside.

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

_Of course it's a snake,_ I thought to myself as I reached the Tree of Life. _Fitting, considering I'm here with the King of the Snakes._

The serpent rose up to look at me and hissed, in a strangely-accented English, "Eat of the fruit, and you shall _not_ die, but you will have knowledge of good and evil and be like gods."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Okay." I reached up for a fruit, plucked it, and took a bite. It tasted _fantastic_!

Suppressing a moan at the taste, I called out, "Professor, I'm going to go behind this tree, as well. You'll have to come have a bite of the fruit, as well."

And that's the moment that I realized everything I had been saying could be taken _quite_ differently than it had been intended.

_How. Utterly. Embarrassing. Words cannot describe my mortification at this moment._

- o0O0o - **Severus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

_Ah, she's figured it out. I can almost hear her blushing_. I gave her a few moments to hide before doing as she instructed. I found the fruit from which she had taken a bite and did the same. _Why didn't I pluck my own, or at least eat from the other side?_

Suddenly, a white light descended, and a voice called 'Eve' to stand with me in front of him. I averted my gaze as Hermione crept out from behind the tree.

God gave us the 'how do you know you're naked' speech before fashioning us some clothes, telling us to leave the Garden and pointing to the exit. We dressed quickly, facing different directions, and started walking.

"Granger," I ventured as we approached the gates to Eden, "what story comes next? Do you remember?"

She bit her lip enticingly—_Really? After all of that, and now you're going to bite your lip? Are you trying to kill me, woman?_—before saying, "I'm pretty sure that Alice in Wonderland is next."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Great. So I either get to be a white hare, a purple and blue cat, or an insane idiot with a teacup. Lovely."

Granger giggled, and soon she was laughing loudly. I had to admit that I enjoyed the sound.

What was happening to me?

I didn't have time to think about it, as we stepped through the gate and the world rearranged itself once again.

I looked down at myself once the scene reappeared. _Well, this was the least undesirable option, I suppose._

**So? What d'you think? I was totally excited to get to the meat of the story, and I'm really happy with how this chapter turned out. I hope you are, too! :)**


	6. Chapter 5

**I first would like to thank everyone for their continued support, even though I have been AWOL for quite a while. RL has been absolutely crazy (and mostly not in a good way, but no worries, as it's getting much better now :). I'm finally moved into my new apartment, so hopefully I can get settled into a good routine soon and catch up on both my stories and be more regular about updates. Of course, I can't promise that will always be the case, but I do promise to try!**

**Now, you're late, you're late, for a very important date (even though it's my fault)! Get reading! ;)**

- o0O0o - **Severus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

I looked down at my outfit. The one consolation that I had was I at least kept my own mind. Even if I had to act crazy, at least I knew that I wasn't.

I think.

Anyway, it was immediately clear to me that Hermione—_When exactly did I start thinking of her by her first name? Not. Good._—was not with me, which of course made sense as Alice met the Mad Hatter further down the road.

My gaze swept over the assorted tables and tea-things in front of me. The ridiculous characters around me were nearly driving me mad—sorry, bad pun—but I knew it wouldn't last too long. I allowed myself to get lost in my thoughts as I awaited Hermione's—Alice's—return.

_So when _did_ I start thinking of her as 'Hermione' instead of 'Granger' or 'the girl'? It must have been in the last story. It's hard to call a girl by her surname when she's seen you naked. Not that Granger was looking for inappropriate reasons, though I suppose I wouldn't object if she did—_

_Wait, __**what?**_

_Oh, man, I need to get out of Hogwarts and find a willing woman. Going this long with no romantic attachments and no physical relationships does crazy things to a man's brain, not to mention his blood flow._

_Maybe that's why the potion made me into the Mad Hatter._

_Okay, I'm officially insane if I think that I was made into this character because I've gone too long between shags._

It was around this time that a girl with long blonde tresses—so out of place on Hermione's head, by the way—entered the scene. She was a little dirty from her tumble down the rabbit hole, but she was in one piece, at least.

_Why do you care?_

_Well, since she's my student, I'm sort of responsible for her right now…. Aren't I?_

_I think you're getting attached. Stop it!_

_I just want…man I'm a sap, but I want a friend. Is that a crime?_

_The things you were thinking thirty minutes ago were a little too friendly for friendship, I'd say._

_It wasn't my bloody fault! Oh, hell, what did she just say to me?_

"Professor?"

"Sorry, Granger, I was lost in thought. What was that?"

She giggled softly and said, "I really think we should get to the White Queen and prepare for me to battle the Jabberwocky. I asked if you agreed."

I cleared my throat and said, "Isn't there a whole section of the book that you're missing out on?"

"I thought about this a lot on my way over here," she explained in her typical know-it-all, lecture voice. "I think that, since the final outcome of the story doesn't rely on the portion in the middle except to prove to Alice that she _is_ 'the' Alice, and I already know that I'm 'the' Alice, we can skip that. Would you agree?"

While the explanation of her logic was a little dizzying, the concept was sound enough. "It's your call, Granger. Lead the way."

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

I didn't know what to say to him. This wasn't a school setting, so I'm sure that conversing wouldn't be out of the question, but I didn't know what to talk about. He soon solved the problem for me.

"Granger, I'm still a little confused about how we have found ourselves in this situation."

I had drawn my own conclusions, especially considering Draco's involvement, but I wasn't about to let him in on it. I'd have to be incredibly sneaky with my conversation; he could spot a lie three leagues out.

I nodded, saying, "It's a little odd. I can understand the draw of this particular prank—force two people who may or may not be familiar with Muggle stories to live through them. What I don't understand is why they picked you and I. And I also don't know why Ginny would partner with the twins to pull a prank in the first place."

I hoped my avoidance tactic wasn't too noticeable.

- o0O0o - **Severus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

She wasn't telling me something, but I wasn't going to push her. If I wanted on her good side, I'd have to let her come to me with the information in her own time. Besides, we had twenty more stories after this one; I'd get the answers eventually. Even if she managed to hold off until after we were out of the book, I wasn't worried. Back at the school, I had access to Veritaserum, if necessary.

What Minerva didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

Something else quickly occurred to me. "Your friends must have been planning to prank you for some time," I threw out nonchalantly. "They've been acting oddly for weeks now."

Did I detect a blush in her cheeks at that comment? Interesting….

"No, I don't think that was what was bothering them before, sir."

"Then—"

"Not to be rude, sir," she interjected, "but that matter is highly personal, and I'd rather not discuss it, if you don't mind."

I was more than a little curious, but even _I_ respected personal boundaries. Merlin knew that I wasn't one to share; how could I expect her to do so if I wasn't willing to do the same? "Alright, Granger."

With an odd look on her face, she turned to me and said, "Thank you, sir."

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

I'll admit that I was a little too fervent in my gratitude. There were layers upon layers of meaning in that simple sentence, and I didn't think he'd restrain his curiosity on this one.

I was right. "Granger?"

Taking a deep breath, I said, "It's nice to know that there are people out there who will actually back off when you tell them something is personal and you don't want to discuss it. I love my friends, I really do, but sometimes it gets annoying trying to keep certain things to myself. Ginny and Harry especially don't take 'I'd like to keep that private' for an answer. I…I appreciate you letting it go."

He nodded at me in acknowledgement of my thanks before saying, "I know what it is to want to keep one's personal life just that: personal. Minerva and Poppy mean well, I know, but sometimes…."

I turned and smiled empathetically at him. "I know exactly what you mean, sir."

There was a slight quirk at the right corner of his mouth. I thought for sure it could become a smile if he'd let it, but he didn't.

- o0O0o - **Severus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

_Merlin, what is this witch doing to me? I haven't smiled since…since before my OWLs, I think._

_How sad that I haven't smiled in twenty-two years. This witch could be really good for me if I let her._

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

I didn't want the conversation to end, but I didn't know what to say.

So I decided to be stupid, _obviously_.

"Let's play a game," I suggested, momentarily forgetting that I was a grown witch and not an idiot eleven-year-old.

He looked at me skeptically. "A _game_?"

I nodded, rolling with it. "The area around us is beautiful, and we'll never see anything like it again. I propose a game of 'I Spy.'"

He chuckled at me and said, "I spy something orange, then."

I hummed for a moment, choosing about eight things that I could see that were orange. Then I realized that there was orange _everywhere_—there was no way that anyone could win at this game. "Okay, I give. But we can't walk in silence. If you're so clever, _you_ come up with something!"

I never would have expected his suggestion.

- o0O0o - **Severus****'s POV** - o0O0o -

I don't know what possessed me to ask. Probably the madness of the situation going to my head.

"Have you read _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_?"

We spent a good two and a half hours just walking and talking about the books we'd read. I was surprised that we had many of the same tastes in both Muggle and wizarding literature. She and I both loved the classics as well as some more modern writers and pieces. I was shocked to learn she had a soft spot for modern poetry. She was surprised by my love of Shakespeare's sonnets.

Eventually, we reached the White Queen, who readied us for battle. I walked alongside our 'Alice,' beginning to worry for the girl's safety. Unfortunately, I couldn't fight the thing for her, or we'd never get out of the story. So instead, I whispered to her as many fencing and sword-fighting tactics that I could remember as we walked.

When the Red Queen's army approached us and the Jabberwocky came into view, I almost panicked. "That's going to be nearly impossible!"

She turned to me and smirked—I was surprised that the expression fit her face—and said, "I sometimes believe six impossible things before breakfast."

- o0O0o - **Hermione****'s POV** - o0O0o -

As the Jabberwocky stalked towards me and Severus backed away, I listed the six things aloud to myself.

"One: Harry, Ron, and Ginny are masters of manipulation.

"Two: Fred and George Weasley are capable of being out-sneaked by their little sister.

"Three: I've seen Severus Snape's naked body almost in its entirety.

"Four: Severus Snape is alive and traveling with me through a storybook.

"Five: Severus Snape might be able to one day return the feelings I have for him.

"Six: I can slay the Jabberwocky."

And with that, the battle began. It was much simpler than I had expected. I don't know why Alice had so much trouble.

Just as the creature fell to the earth, screaming, I turned to Severus and shouted, "Jack and the Beanstalk!"

The world went black again for a moment. I prayed that I wouldn't be the wife of the giant or, _worse_, Severus's mother!

**I'm so happy with how the story is going, and I'm even more ecstatic that it's getting such good feedback! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!**


	7. Chapter 6

**I decided I needed to update my stories again (wow, it's been a long time, sorry guys!) before classes get too crazy (they started today, blech. Where did the summer go?). Maybe now that the alternative is homework, I'll write/update more often, haha. Anyway, if you're following my other story, I hope to update by tomorrow night at the latest, so you'll get lots of me this week (yay!).**

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

When the scenery reformed around me, I was alone and standing in a very small bedroom. I heard a woman—probably Jack's mother—shout from the next room, and I knew that Hermione hadn't been cast in that role.

_Good. It's bad enough I want my student. I don't need to picture her as my mother on top of that!_

Jack's mother sent me to town with the disappointing milk cow, and, as expected, I met a rather odd character along the way. I traded him the cow for his five magic beans and took them home to "mother." She, of course, threw the anticipated tantrum, tossing the beans out the window and sending me to bed without supper.

In the morning, I climbed the beanstalk and approached the giantess sitting on her front porch. _Hermione's not the ogre's wife, either. So that leaves the Magic Harp._

"Excuse me, ma'am, but would you be so kind as to give me something to eat? It has been a full day since I have eaten anything at all."

Sighing, she said, "I would, child, but my husband is an ogre, and his preferred meal is young boys. You'd better run along."

I adopted what I hoped was a pathetic face and said, "Please, ma'am, I am so hungry! Please give me something to eat."

She huffed and puffed, but eventually she brought me inside and gave me a breakfast of bread, cheese, and milk. When her ogre husband came thundering up the road yelling, "Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!" she ushered me into the oven to hide me.

"Be he alive, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread!" I caught sight of the ogre as he came crashing through the front door, and he was a disgusting sight. With sickly-green skin covered in boils, some of which oozed (_Revolting!_), a nearly hairless head, and a stench to match it all, he was the most off-putting being in whose presence I had ever found myself…and I spent years in the company of the Dark Lord!

When the giantess had convinced the ogre that he was imagining things, he sat down to breakfast. Predictably, after he had finished, he sent his wife out to do chores while he sat counting the gold in his money sacks. As soon as I was certain that he slept, I crept out of the oven, snatched a sack, and fled out of the house, up the road, and down the beanstalk.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_How boring. I can't do anything, I can't go anywhere, there's no one to talk to…no one that I _want_ to talk to, anyway._ I sighed deeply before thinking, _Hurry, Severus. I…. I miss you._

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

Soon, I was ascending the beanstalk again. I told the giantess that I knew something of the theft of her husband's gold, but that I could say nothing until I had been fed, claiming to be "too weak" to talk just then. She hid me in the oven again during the ogre's breakfast, and then he brought out the goose that laid the golden eggs. At the first snore, I leapt out of the oven, took the goose, and bolted toward Jack's home once more.

During the week that followed my second excursion in the sky, I could not seem to shut my brain off. _I'll get to see Hermione soon_, I kept repeating to myself. Why I was growing so attached, I could barely fathom, but attached I was.

I even found myself worrying about her. _I know she's safe, of course, but she has no one to talk to. The insufferable chit is such an incessant talker that she must be going mad, standing there all day every day, doing nothing but waiting for me to steal her from the ogre…._

Finally, the day came. I snuck into the giants' home and hid in a copper pot that was hanging from the ceiling. When the pair came home, they immediately checked the oven, stupidly assuming that I would not know to hide elsewhere this time. After much monotony, the giantess brought out the magical, singing harp….

And it wasn't Hermione.

Briefly, I panicked. _Where is she, then? Did she miss the story completely? Is she out there in the book somewhere on her own?_ Eventually, I calmed my nerves. Wherever she was, I would catch up eventually. The worry never completely left me, but I was able to restrain it long enough to grab the harp.

She called out for her master as I ran, causing the ogre to pursue me. Halfway down the beanstalk, I called out to Jack's mother to bring me the axe. As soon as I reached the bottom, I hacked away at the beanstalk, and it four solid hits, the stalk tumbled to the earth, killing the ogre in the process.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous. He _has _to have killed the ogre by now! I'm not going to wait around for that insufferable man to find me—I'm going out into town and asking after him myself!"

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

After a few days of displaying the singing harp and the gold-egg-laying goose, my fame was spreading. I consistently looked around town for Hermione, hoping that she would hear news of my exploits and come looking for me. I still was concerned that she'd somehow disappeared, but I kept looking regardless.

Finally, I found her. _The princess—of course! Jack is supposed to become rich and famous and then marry a princess! I should have known…._

And then, I was frozen on the pavement, speechless.

I had never seen anything so stunningly beautiful in my life.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

I knew that he was out that day, because the entire town was talking about the young man that had killed the ogre, the one who possessed such magical and profitable gifts. I just had to find—

_Sweet Salazar, is that _Severus_?_

He was staring at me like a man seeing the sun for the first time. I blushed at his scrutiny and at…how very striking…amazingly handsome…. I didn't have the words to describe how _utterly delicious_ Severus had looked as a teenager. Granted, he was always handsome in my eyes, but something about how he carried this younger body was more confident, more daring than I was used to seeing him. I found myself wishing that he would hold his shoulders back and head high in this way when he was in his real body. _He just doesn't know how appealing he is. Maybe I should tell him…._

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

Hermione was looking at me strangely. I had always prided myself on my ability to read others' facial expressions, and if I was reading her correctly, she was pleasantly surprised, yet somehow also regretful. I didn't understand her motivations for feeling that way at all, but I was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery that she was presenting. Slowly, I made toward her through the throngs of people in the square.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_Oh, he's heading this way_. I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders, watching in fascination as Severus approached me. Even in his youthful body, the graceful, elegant way he walked was undiminished. I had always suspected that he had taught himself how to be so intimidating in his walk—now I knew that it was a quality he had been born with, something that could not be learned. It was unique to him.

And that made me admire and appreciate the quality all the more.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

After what seemed like both hours and milliseconds, I stood before her. Smirking slightly, I said, as formally as possible, "What troubles you, my lady?" She seemed to shiver, though the afternoon was quite warm.

Hermione looked down at the cobblestones briefly before meeting my eyes. "I…." She blushed, took in a deep breath, and squared her shoulders before starting again. "I was admiring the way you held yourself in your youthful body, and then I was wishing that I could see that confidence in you always, sir." I noted how her eyes sparkled with the doubly-appropriate title she had tacked onto the end of her confession.

I found myself blushing at her praise, though I would never admit to anyone that I actually had done so.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_Oh, he should blush more often. He's always handsome, but that…that is just entirely too appealing for his own good. Or for mine, for that matter. Focus, Hermione, and stop mentally drooling over your professor!_

I cleared my throat and said, "What do you suppose we have to do in order to advance to the next story?"

Severus cocked his head to the side (_Too cute!_) as he thought. "Perhaps we need only convince the king that Jack is a suitable husband for the princess. They do not actually hold the wedding in the story."

I admit to being slightly disappointed that we wouldn't be kissing before the story ended, but I tried not to let it show. I beckoned for Severus to follow me back to the castle, where I would ask for an audience with my father.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

To be honest, I do not remember much of Hermione's conversation with the king. I simply remember him moving to a balcony to announce his daughter's engagement before the world around us started to fade. The last thing I heard was Hermione's whisper of "Achilles and the River Styx."

**I know you're all wanting Severus and Hermione to get a move on (believe me, I know how you feel!) but I don't think they're quite ready yet. Give them a few more stories, and maybe they can finally kiss. :D**

**I'm not completely sure about this chapter. I hope that you all liked it, though, and that it was worth the wait. Let me know what you thought, especially if you have any suggestions for improvements, or for what you'd like to see in the future. I need some inspiration/motivation, so keep those reviews coming!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Just as a heads-up, I took some liberties in this chapter with the Greek myth of Achilles. For those of you who have read the **_**Iliad**_** or other Greek mythology, you'll probably know why some of this is wrong. I have **_**not**_** yet read the **_**Iliad**_**, and I thought the story was much different…until I read up on it in order to write this chapter. When I realized that it wouldn't be accurate, I tried to adapt my story to fit, but it didn't work. **_**So**_**, I decided to change the myth instead. I hope it doesn't ruin the story for anybody :(**

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_Why could she not have warned me sooner?_

_I'm an infant!_

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_Oh, hell._

_I forgot that Achilles is dipped in the river as a baby._

_Severus is going to kill me._

"Um…. Severus?" He gave me a weak glare. _Wow, he was a beautiful baby! Though, that facial expression isn't as attractive on his baby face as it is when he's his actual age._ "I'm…. I'm really sorry! I completely forgot that Thetis dipped Achilles in the Styx as an infant. For some reason, I thought…he…was…older." I paused, shocked at how Severus managed to make a baby's face appear so enraged. After a moment, I angrily replied, "You know, I'm not the one who got you stuck in here!" _Well, I sort of am, but you don't need to know that._ "Don't get self-righteously angry at me. You need me in order to get out of here, remember?" I gave him a significant look, and he finally relaxed his face into a pout. "Thank you!"

I looked around and noticed the river in question up ahead. It really looked nasty, and I would never have put anyone in there if I could help it, but this was necessary. I took comfort in the fact that Severus's mind was unaffected, and that he seemed to have more control over his body than an ordinary baby. "There's the Styx; let's go."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I was frustrated that, despite my ability to move my face and arms in a fairly normal fashion, speech seemed impossible. Hermione had been right, though. I was acting ridiculously childishly. Uncharacteristically, I decided to apologize as soon as opportunity presented itself.

By the time I had reached that decision, she had brought us to the river.

Hermione looked at me apologetically and said, "I guess I'll…hold you by your ankle and dip you in, then?" She seemed unsure, but I knew it was fear of my reaction; there's no way she didn't know how this story went.

Right?

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_Shoot. It's been ages since I've read the _Iliad_. Thetis dips Achilles in while holding onto his ankle, he grows up, and…._

_**What happens next?!**_

I tried to hide the fact that I was freaking out, but I'm certain Severus saw right through me. Gingerly, I held him by his right ankle, told him to hold his breath, and dipped him into the River Styx.

I belatedly wondered if there was supposed to be any pain involved in this ritual.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

The moment I touched the surface of the black river, I was in agony. It felt like seven Cruciatus curses on top of each other drug out for hours, except that it all hit me at once.

I immediately changed my mind about apologizing.

When Hermione pulled me back out of the river, the colors of the world around us swirled and dissolved, only to reform in moments. It was obviously the same story, but Hermione's character was different, and I was older—mid-twenties, if I hazarded a guess.

Hermione was examining her new clothing. I was about to scold her for neglecting to warn me about both my original age and the pain involved in this tale, but my voice got caught in my throat when she looked up at me.

_That's right_, I reminded myself. _Achilles fights with the Achaeans to free Helen of Troy from that miscreant, Paris. But…Achilles and Helen don't meet anytime in the story, do they?_

Regardless, the description of Helen of Troy fit Hermione perfectly in that moment. She was certainly the most beautiful woman _I_ had ever seen, and it was not a stretch to say she was the most beautiful in the world.

What struck me more than anything was that it was still _her_. Certainly, she had aged a few years—she was probably representing her twenty-year-old self—but the changes were _very_ minor to her physical self.

What was different was the way she was presented. The white and gold dress draped around her body hugged her in all the right places. Her wild hair was pulled back from her face, framing her elegant features in golden brown locks that formed a halo around her face in the sunlight that came from behind her. But the most beautiful part was the look of wonder on her face. Her eyes were round and expressive, her lips slightly parted and a faint blush on her cheeks. There was something in her eyes that I could not define—or, perhaps did not _want_ to define. Not yet, anyway.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_Well, this is new_, I thought when the colors had stopped swirling and I could take another look at myself. _I haven't played more than one character yet._ The dress I had on was rather revealing, at least to my standards, but it was elegant and light, and I loved it. I looked up to find out if Severus had aged, but I couldn't speak when I saw him.

He was sporting his own body, or at least very near to it. I would guess his age was between thirty and thirty-five.

Now, I had seen Severus Snape in his teaching robes (sexy enough already). I had seen (almost) all of him completely naked, and that was hot, too. But Severus Snape in pre-medieval Achaean armor?

Drop. Dead. Gorgeous.

Period.

My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him. His (not inconsiderable) muscles were displayed to great advantage, probably as an intimidation tactic. The sword hanging from his belt (get your minds out of the gutter, I mean the _real_ one, not the metaphorical one! I still haven't seen that one…yet…) gave him a very knight-in-shining-armor feel, and the blue of the leather fixings complemented his pale skin beautifully. I was utterly speechless, and it appeared that he was, too. Lucky for me, because I was sure he was about to give me a verbal lashing for my inattention to detail.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I took a few moments after taking in the vision before me to gain my bearings. Finally, I said, "Her"— I cleared my throat to cover my slip-up and continued—"Helen of Troy?"

It was at the moment that I almost said her first name that I realized….

She had called me 'Severus' at the beginning of this particular story.

Hermione seemed to miss my slip-up, though, and said, "I guess so. Is it time for the battle already?"

"Hmm." I took another long look at her before saying, "I suppose I have to prepare for a fight, then."

Hermione's eyes went wide and she said, "Oh, NO! Severus, Achilles _dies_ in this story!"

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_Damn you, Ginevra Weasley! Didn't you __**read**__ these stories before you sent us into this book?!_

Then something occurred to me.

_Aw, hell, I said his first name. He's going to kill me._ Eyes wide with shame and apology, I said, "Sir, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to be so…familiar…with you."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_Damn it, she needs to stop widening her eyes and blushing at me. I have a metal plate in front of…well, it'll hurt like hell if she keeps it up, let's leave it at that._

"Perhaps," I suggested, trying to keep my voice layered in reluctance and sarcasm, "under the circumstances, it would be…_understandable_…if we used each other's given names." I paused for a moment before adding, "_Hermione_."

It felt heavenly to finally say her name out loud in front of her.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

I had always loved my name, but hearing Severus say it like that was just….

Unbelievably….

Stimulating.

Yes, that's a good word.

I smiled timidly at him, my face heating up like a furnace. "Thank you. _Severus_."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

As if the blush and the smile weren't enough.

_Can this woman not say __**anything**__ in a less-than-sensual manner? Even my __**name**__ sounds like an invitation to bed when it comes from her lips!_

I held back a wince only through the use of all of my (not inconsiderable) willpower. _Ouch. Sweet Merlin, that hurts. Damn it, think unappealing thoughts._

_Albus in his underwear._

_Minerva in curlers._

_Potter and Weasley snogging…ew, where did that come from?_

Needless to say, that last image worked quite well.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

After an awkward moment during which I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking, Severus finally said, "Well, now that that's been dealt with"—oh, if only I'd known then what he actually meant!—"we should figure out what exactly I'm supposed to be doing."

Guiltily, I said, "I um…don't really remember."

His look could only be described as blank. He blinked twice before saying, "Merlin, Hermione, I thought you were supposed to be the bookworm? The last time I read for pleasure was fifteen years ago, and I never was much interested in mythology. You've read this, haven't you?"

I shook my head, saying, "I've read the _Iliad_, yes, but I haven't read this book before. I only know what stories are in it from reading the table of contents. And mythology is different in every version you read. I don't think Achilles and Helen actually meet at all in Homer's rendition. In fact, I think Helen is much older than he is, but that's obviously not the case with us."

Severus seemed to calm himself somewhat. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Well, I suppose there's nothing for it. I'll just have to go out and fight, and we'll see how it goes."

I started to panic again. "Severus, you don't think you'll…actually _die_ when the arrow hits you in the heel, do you?" My breathing picked up the pace in time with my pulse, and I could feel a fully-fledged panic attack coming on.

Luckily, I had a knight in shining armor with me.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_Oh, no you don't, Hermione. You can't crap out on me now, I need your help here!_

Gently, I placed my hands on her shoulders and looked into her chocolate brown eyes. "Hermione, look at me." She kept flickering her gaze between me and our surroundings, not focusing on anything. "_Hermione Jean Granger_, do as I say and _look at me_!"

That got her attention. Her breath was still coming in heaving pants, but she was at least listening to me. "I highly doubt that anything is going to happen to me. We are simply stand-ins for the characters. We are bound by the sequence of events in the stories, but we are not actually _part_ of those stories." Hoping against hope that my deduction was accurate, I said, "I am not going to die. I promise."

Her breathing had finally slowed, but tears had begun to gather in her eyes. Suddenly her gaze turned fierce. She slapped my left shoulder with her right hand, threw her arms around me, and sobbed, "If you break that promise, so help me, Severus Snape, I _swear_ I will kill you!"

Trying not to laugh at the irony of her statement, I let her continue to embrace me. Because I probably would not have reciprocated anyway, I was grateful that her arms were firmly latched around my own—it gave me an excuse other than my awkwardness with physical contact to not respond in kind. The only person I had ever really hugged was Lily, and it had taken me _years_ to come to terms with her constant desire to be hugging someone.

Hermione seemed to suddenly realize what she'd done, and she swiftly let go, though she didn't back away from me. She looked up at me, tears still in her eyes, moving her gaze over my face as though she was trying to memorize it.

I don't know what I was thinking, or why I did it. All I know is that suddenly, my hand was reaching up to her cheek, cupping it gently in my hand, my thumb swiping away the tears gathering under her eye. "Don't cry, Granger. Everything's going to be just fine."

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

Everyone knows that Severus Snape is not an optimistic person. His comforting gesture and sure words therefore startled me. It took all of my willpower not to lean into his touch, or to bring my own hand up to his. Instead, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, simply enjoying the feeling of his palm on my skin.

After a moment, I opened my eyes and said, "I hope so, Severus. I…I already thought I had lost you once. I can't go through that again."

_Bloody hell, Hermione, why did you say that? Talk about a dead give-away that you're in love with him!_

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

'_I can't go through that again,' she said. Yes, I remember her sobbing in relief when she came with Potter, Weasley, and Ginevra to visit me in St. Mungo's. She…she truly values me as a person. She wants me around._

_The last person who wanted that for non-selfish, non-political reasons was Lily._

_Hermione Granger already considers herself my friend._

Much to the horror of my stubborn pride, I felt tears gathering in my eyes, too.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

I laughed incredulously and without real humor. "Now you're crying, too? I thought you were supposed to be the strong, stoic one?" I smiled sadly at him.

He shook his head and said, "When someone offers selfless friendship to a nearly-forty-year-old man who has only had that once before, that man would have to be a machine not to get at least minimally emotional." His voice sounded slightly choked, and his eyes shone with honesty.

Half-elated and half-depressed, I questioned, "Lily Evans, right? Harry's mother was your…friend…."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_Damn you, Potter, and your penchant to overanalyze and jump to ridiculous conclusions!_

I cleared my throat slightly and said, "Yes, my _friend_. As in, that's all she was, and all she _is_. I won't deny that I had…certain _romantic _feelings for her at one point during school, but that faded long before she became a Potter. Your friend has a tendency to make unreasonable assumptions. I believe he made my relationship with his late mother seem to be more than it actually was."

I couldn't understand—at least at the time—the look that Hermione gave me then. It was confusion, hope, and a fear to hope all rolled together with annoyance at me for my judgment of her best friend and reluctant acceptance of my observation.

Don't ask me how I could read all of that in her three-second gaze, because I still have no idea.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

Dare I hope that he was telling me he stopped loving Lily Evans in _that_ way before they had even left school? Was he saying that Harry was mistaken in thinking that Severus was still pining for a woman that had been dead for nearly my whole life?

"Harry was…wrong?" I ventured.

All I got in return was an honest, simple nod.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I wanted to ask her if she would consider being my friend (if I could find a less-corny way to say it, that is) despite the fact that I was her teacher, but a call from the distance stopped me.

"Helen! Helen, they're looking for you! You have to come back to the city. Helen, by Zeus, where are you?" It was a feminine voice that called out, so at least I knew I could protect my…charge. Student. Friend. Sexual inter—_no, Severus, stop right there!_

A petite girl in a blue dress came around a copse of trees into our view. "Oh, Helen, thank Hera! They're out searching for you. If Paris finds out you were here meeting with an Achaean warrior the night before they lay siege…Achilles needs to go now, or they will capture him. You two will never be able to be together if he gets caught!"

Hermione and I looked at each other incredulously. Apparently, this version of the story told of a secret love between the prize of the war and the tragic hero. How sad for Helen, that she had lost her love three times: once when she was taken by Menelaus as his wife, again when Paris kidnapped her, and a final time when Achilles died. It was like an ancient Greek soap opera (yes, I know what those are. My father's family were muggles, after all).

The mystery woman spoke again. "Now Helen, kiss your warrior goodnight and come with me. There's not much time!"

_She has to kiss me?_

_Why am I so excited about this?_

_I was right._

_I'm utterly buggered._

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_I have to kiss him?_

_At least it's a requirement of the story; he can't get mad at you or suspect your feelings._

_Right, because he won't be able to tell by my blush or my enthusiasm in the kiss that I'm in love with him. Not at all._

_Don't be so melodramatic. He'll probably just assume you're a better actor than he gives you credit for._

_I can't, though! I'm not ready to kiss him. I…I want to kiss him because he wants to kiss _me_._

_Well, dear, you don't really have a choice._

But I knew that I had two other options, and I decided to try first one and then, if necessary, the other. I turned to my friend (I hoped I wouldn't have to call her by her name anytime soon, as I didn't know what it was) and said, "Alright, I am coming. Give me a moment." The girl nodded but didn't leave, which left me with one final alternative to giving away my innermost secret.

I walked up to Severus, whispered "I guess I have to kiss you" into his ear, and pressed my lips gently to first one cheek, then the other. Pulling back slightly, I took his head in my hands and pulled his face down so that I could pace a final kiss on his brow. Breathlessly, I said, "Be careful tomorrow, Achilles." I looked deeply into Severus's eyes afterward, telling him silently that the sentiment was actually for him.

Unhappily, I followed the girl back toward the city, glancing back as often as possible until Severus disappeared from my sight.

I cried myself to sleep over him that night for what felt like the hundredth time.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_Haven't I fought in enough wars?_ When I finally found the camp of soldiers I was supposed to join, I was led to a private tent in which I would spend the night.

"If I die tomorrow, I'm going to yell at God and Merlin when I get to the afterlife. To save me from Nagini just to have me die in a book is utterly ridiculous," I said out loud to myself. _And to let me die after I've finally found a little bit of happiness in life is simply cruel._

Hermione was all I could think about as I lay in bed that night. There was something—_affection?_—in her eyes as she looked at me tonight, and I wanted—no, needed—to find out what it was. I prayed to every deity I knew that I would last through the next day. The kisses she had bestowed on me were full of emotion. There was no possible way that anyone could act that well, not when kissing _me_ was the performance they had to give. I didn't know exactly what it was, but I knew that she felt _something_ for me.

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

**The next morning….**

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

I was roused by a young boy who looked very out-of-place in his battle garb. The sun had barely begun to rise, but the camp was already alive and bustling at the early hour.

"Achilles, sir, you must come. The battle begins anon!"

I heaved myself from the cot with a groan (I'd certainly slept in much less comfort, but I missed my bed at Hogwarts) and sat at a table in the corner as another boy brought in a plate of breakfast. I ate quickly, and then the boys helped me don my armor. I was strong enough to wear it, but it still felt rather cumbersome. I almost requested that I not have any armor at all, but I thought that would look too strange.

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

**At the battlefield….**

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

I could hardly bear to watch—I'd seen enough death to last me several lifetimes—but I couldn't keep my eyes from the battlefield. Severus was out there somewhere, and I was determined to find him.

_Please be alright._

After about a half hour, I finally found his signature midnight hair and alabaster skin. I watched as he took down enemy after enemy, seemingly in a trance, unfocused on his surroundings. _Focused on what, then?! He should be doing his best not to die!_

Paris stood next to me, of course, watching his subjects fight for his transgression against Helen…me. He looked a lot like Viktor, actually, the irony of which made me laugh internally. _My subconscious must have some affect on the story, because Viktor doesn't like to fight for things, either. He _expects_ the things he wants to come to him. It's why I never truly fell for him. Severus, on the other hand…._

And I was back to the beginning, worrying about the love of my life, watching his every move.

Some time later, the battlements on which our party stood began to shake, and Paris insisted we move location. Unfortunately for him, I found a hole in the defenses and slipped out of the city while he and the others made their way to another sector of the city.

The dress I wore that day was a muted green color, and I thought it beautiful. Unfortunately, squeezing through the tiny fissure the Achaeans managed to create in the city wall smeared my gown with clay and mud, completely ruining both it and my hair—not that I cared terribly at the moment. In fact, it gave me a little camouflage to work with.

I immediately started for the area of the field in which I had last seen Severus, hoping to find a way around the story line and still move on through the book. I refused to give up hope that I could save him.

_Finally_, I thought, spotting an emptier area in the midst of the battle, Severus wielding his sword absentmindedly. I moved toward him as quickly as I could without drawing attention to myself (not too difficult, since I looked like crap and all the men were busy slicing and dicing each other, anyway).

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I was trying not to think about what I was doing. I knew that these were simply unnamed characters in a book, but I knew my stomach couldn't handle any more violence, so I let my mind wander as I did what I had to do to progress the story. I thought about Hermione, mostly, and about what it would do to her if I truly died that day. I didn't know why, but I knew that she would be devastated if I was no longer there. _If I survive this_, I promised myself, _I'll find out why she cares so much about me._

Suddenly, as my mind wandered, I found my gaze doing the same. For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating, for the object of my thoughts was suddenly standing on the battlefield, looking directly at me with worry lines on her brow. Then I realized that I'd never seen Hermione looking so dirty or disheveled—except maybe in the Shrieking Shack just before I "died," but she hadn't been wearing a dress—so I knew she had to actually be standing there.

Worried for her safety more than my own, I ferociously beat back the ten or so men who had come to challenge me, making my way toward the woman for whom all these men (_including me_) fought.

"Hermione, what the _devil_ are you doing out here? You should be inside the city where it's…well, safe for a little longer, at least."

I heard an indignant huff from behind me. I knew she was capable with a wand, but those didn't exist here, and she was certainly not hand-to-hand combat-trained for a battle on this scale. "Severus Snape, I came out here because I'm worried about you. We _have_ to figure out a way for you to get out of this story alive!"

I sighed heavily and said, "There's nothing for it. We just have to let the story take its course and hope for the best."

A delicate hand was placed on my upper right arm, the one that held my shield. "Severus, I can't lose you."

I dispatched the last of the soldiers in front of me and spun to face Hermione, the city wall now to my right. "I know, Hermione. I don't particularly want to die in this book either. But we have no choice. We'll just have to hope that the Weasley twins didn't mess something up with the magic, or that they didn't make it so that our physical bodies can actually be affected by this. Perhaps it is simply our consciousnesses that are here inside the book? All we can do is hope."

I placed my hand on her cheek to comfort her. She was about to say something, but…

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

I was about to say 'You can't leave me' when Severus let out a yell filled with pain, surprise, and…dare I say it, _fear_.

He promptly fell to his knees, and I saw the source of the shout: an arrow, dripping in some greenish-blue liquid, protruded from his right heel.

The place I had held when I dipped him in the Styx.

"_Damn_ it!" he yelled in that succulent baritone of his. If the situation hadn't been so serious, I might well have found his swearing sexy. But now wasn't the time for such thoughts.

I knelt behind him and said, "Should I remove the arrow or leave it in?"

He didn't respond, and I worried about more poison flowing into his system, so I removed it anyway, eliciting another cry of pain—it broke my heart to hear how affected he was. I gently laid him to the ground and helped him roll onto his back. I moved to his head, panic gripping me, and placed my hands on his cheeks, begging him with my heart and eyes not to leave me. "Severus?" I questioned quietly.

He finally managed to focus his gaze on me. "Hermione, it was…."

I nodded, tears falling from my eyes. "I know." A sob escaped me, and I said, "Please, Severus, you can't…you can't leave me. Please, please don't leave me!"

He gingerly lifted a hand to my face, cupping my cheek and rubbing away the tears, as he had the day before. "I won't if I can help it. I…I haven't had someone this important to me since Lily. I'm not going to give up my happiness that easily, not when I fought so long to find it."

My heart burst with joy and depression all at once. He finally was finding some purpose, some reason to live, and life was being taken from him. Someone truly had a thing for irony. He almost died in the Shrieking Shack by werewolf attack in his childhood, and then again by snake attack as an adult. His second brush with death in the Shrieking Shack involved snake venom, and now, he had been poisoned by an arrow. Would this wonderful, wonderful man never get an opportunity to live a normal life?

"Hermione," he whispered urgently. "I don't have much time before the venom completely spreads. You have to promise me that you'll keep going, that you'll get out of this book regardless of what happens to me. I want you to be safe, too."

Sobbing again, I nodded. "Severus, I—"

But he cut me off with another pained cry, a hiss, and a sigh. His eyes were closed, his face feverish, and I knew that he could no longer hear me. Softly, I placed my forehead against his and said, "Severus, I love you. I've loved you for so long. Please, _please_ don't leave me. Not now, when we're actually getting to know each other. Don't leave me alone."

His breath stopped, as did his pulse, and the scene around me dissolved into blackness once more.

**I know that I'm cruel, but never fear! I have another chapter almost ready to go up, and I should have it posted today. I hope you enjoyed this one; when I finally had the motivation, it just gushed! Review, please, and I'll love you forever! :D**


	9. Chapter 8

**Here's the next one, as promised. We'll get to see a little of what's going on in the real world first before moving on to the next story.**

**By the way, this chapter is for JustLu, IrishChic20, and worrywart, because they scolded me for taking too long. Sorry, guys; classes and work had to take precedence, but it's here now! Hopefully the quality and length of the chapter make up for the wait! :D**

**Also, my apologies in advance if the events during 'Day 23' offend anyone's sensibilities. It's a fact of life, and it happened to work with where I wanted to go in this chapter, so hopefully you are all mature enough to deal. (It's not inappropriate or anything, but it **_**is**_** a topic that some people find uncomfortable. I just didn't want to neglect to warn you ahead of time.)**

- o0O0o - **Ginny's POV** - o0O0o -

As soon as Snape grabbed Hermione and the book and left the hall, I knew we messed up. We may have gotten him the potion, but it was possible that he'd blame Hermione, or expect that she knew what was up. Fortunately, since she _didn't_ know what we had planned, she wouldn't have to lie. That was a relief—no one can lie to Snape.

Barely ten seconds after they were out the door, McGonagall's Sonorus-ed voice boomed through the hall. "You will stop this instant!" Every single student sat back in their seat, looking guiltily up at McGonagall. "I want to see Ginevra and Ronald Weasley, Harry Potter, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, Parvati and Padma Patil, Luna Lovegood, and Draco Malfoy in the Headmistress's office. _Immediately_."

- o0O0o - **Draco's POV** - o0O0o -

_This is it. We're busted._

Not that I regretted it. I knew my Godfather and Hermione could hit it off if they'd both put their courage to good use.

I just didn't want to get in serious owl droppings for participating. Hey, don't look at me like that! I may be less of an arrogant, bigoted brat, but I'm still a Slytherin!

Anyway, McGonagall led the nine of us to her office. When we got there, she conjured more seats around her desk, staring at us for a moment as we sat, waiting for the ball to drop.

Finally, she spoke. "I want to know what possessed you to encourage such behavior, especially as prefects, head boy, and war heroes." After another pause, she said menacingly, "_Explain yourselves_."

Potter spoke up, and I really wish he hadn't. "Professor, Seamus, Dean, Parvati, Padma, and Luna really didn't have anything to do with it. They weren't in on the plan."

I was shocked when Lovegood spoke up. "Oh, I was in on it, Harry. I know why we did it."

The two Weasleys and Potter looked at her incredulously. Apparently no one had told Lovegood what was up, just that they had a part for her. The blonde girl continued. "Don't look at me like that. Anyone with eyes could see what was going on!"

McGonagall interrupted with, "Be that as it may, you all participated in encouraging the other students in this childish behavior. Ten points will be taken for each of your involvement, and you will each serve two detentions. Mr. Finnegan, Mr. Thomas, and the Misses Patil may go back to their dormitories. The other five will remain here, please."

I knew we were all in for it. If we told Hermione's secret, she'd murder us, but if we didn't tell, McGonagall might just do it anyway.

- o0O0o - **Harry's POV** - o0O0o -

I didn't know what to do, but I knew what was coming.

McGonagall looked at us over her spectacles—_Merlin, she looks like Dumbledore when she does that_—and said, "Miss Lovegood indicated that there was a purpose behind this little…_activity_ today. Do any of you care to explain? I assume from his reaction that Professor Snape was involved, as was Miss Granger. Who would like to benefit the entire group and tell me what is going on?"

We all sat quietly. I didn't know whether we should tell or not. Ginny spoke my thoughts. "Professor, I'm not sure how much we can rightfully tell. Hermione entrusted us—well, except for Luna, who seems to have figured it out on her own—with a particular…secret, I guess…and that prompted our actions today. I just don't feel comfortable divulging anything because it might give away things that she doesn't want known."

McGonagall tapped her fingernails on the desk. "Be that as it may, without knowledge of what prompted this behavior, I do not know how severely to punish you, and thus I would have to make the punishment rather harsh. I would rather not do that if you had legitimate cause for your indiscretion today."

There were three beats of silence before Ron did something incredibly stupid.

"Hermione's in love with Snape, Professor."

Ginny, Malfoy, and I all groaned. Luna simply nodded in agreement.

McGonagall blinked a few times before saying, "Yes, I am aware. And what does that have to do with the food fight, Mr. Weasley?"

We all looked at her (well, except Luna) with incredulity. Tentatively, I said, "You…you knew, Professor?" When she nodded, I asked, "_How?_"

She tutted before saying, "Honestly, Mr. Potter, just because teenagers usually need things spelled out for them—teenage boys, most especially—does not mean that the rest of us do not have eyes. I've known for some time that Miss Granger had more than academic respect for Severus, and this year has made it even more obvious." The four of us non-clairvoyants stared at her with wide eyes. She hummed before saying, "It _may_ have helped that Severus confides in Poppy and myself often, and together we deduced that, while nothing has happened between them, there is more than enough affection present for something _to_ happen."

Ginny smiled and said, "I've told her all along that it could happen, but she wouldn't listen to me. That's…what prompted the food fight, Professor."

McGonagall simply raised an eyebrow in question. Ginny, Ron, and I told her about the Weasley twins' involvement and our bet with Hermione—McGonagall actually laughed when we told her that Hermione planned her own "downfall," so to speak—and Malfoy and Luna helped us explain how we set up the food fight.

McGonagall was giggling like mad by the end of our explanation. It was slightly unsettling, as we'd never truly heard her laugh before, but it was good to know that she found some amusement in it. Perhaps our punishments would be less severe.

After a while, she calmed herself. Finally she said, "Well, this certainly makes punishing you a more difficult issue. I do not want the other students to think that they can get away with this kind of behavior, but I do not really want to punish you, either. You've done a great thing for the both of them. Still, the rest of the school needs to think you're being punished.

"Perhaps," she continued, "I shall have you serve an extra three detentions here in the Headmistress's office. You can bring along homework or other things you need to work on, or you can spend the time socializing together, I do not have a preference. That way the school will think I have disciplined you thoroughly without actually having to do so."

I couldn't believe our luck, but I wasn't going to question it, either. I stood, and the others followed suit. "Thank you, Professor. When is our first 'detention'?"

McGonagall set up a schedule with us before standing as well. "I suppose," she said, "that we should go locate Severus and Miss Granger. They'll need to be watched-over while they dream together."

So we followed the Headmistress to the dungeons in search of both the Potions Master and our best friend.

- o0O0o - **Ron's POV** - o0O0o -

When we got to Snape's private lab, we were greeted with an odd sight. The professor was sitting on the edge of his desk, shoulders slumped (the first time we'd ever seen him with bad posture), eyes glassy and unfocused. Hermione sat at the lab table across from him, head on the heel of her hand, eyes similarly gazing without seeing. The book that started this whole ridiculous thing sat between them, opened to the last page of one of the stories. It was the story of Achilles and Helen of Troy.

"Well," McGonagall said, "it seems as if Misters Weasley's potion worked quite well. If he isn't raging mad, Severus will be very impressed." She chuckled again. I wasn't sure I liked that—it was strange, to say the least.

As another page began to turn, seemingly of its own accord, Ginny spoke up. "Professor, they seem to be progressing through the book rather quickly. Should someone stay here, just to be sure that no one takes advantage of their…um…rather _distracted_ state?"

Again, McGonagall hummed. "Yes, I suppose that's a good idea. However, I think it would be best if we _all_ stayed. Severus and Miss Granger may need some restraining when they get sight of any of you, and I don't wish to miss the fallout when they see you, either." There was a mischievous glint in the Headmistress's eyes that I'd never seen before.

It was rather frightening.

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

**Meanwhile, in the story world….**

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

When the scene reformed, it took me a moment to understand where and 'when' I was. The land around me was desertous, and my clothing was very…_Biblical_. Then I remembered that the next story was supposed to be Noah's Ark.

I looked around me in every direction, calling out for Severus. _He __**has**__ to be here! He __**can't**__ have died! I refuse to let him die!_

Finally, I found him. He was still laying on the ground, coughing and sputtering. "_Severus!_" I ran to him, knelt in the sand, pulled him to a sitting position, and flung my arms around his neck. "Oh, _Severus_! You're alright!"

Tentative arms settled on my back before they pulled me tightly to a chiseled and firm chest. He buried his nose in my hair, breathing deeply, simply holding me. I laid my forehead against his neck and breathed in his sandalwood and chemical smell. It was very _him_, and I loved it.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I had hardly dared to believe it when I woke to the sound of Hermione calling my name. I inhaled too sharply, pulling sand into my nose and making myself cough. But then her delicate arms pulled me up and wrapped around my shoulders, and I no longer cared where I was. I only cared that I was alive and she was holding me.

I tried to fight the urge to reciprocate her physical display of affection, but I realized that I no longer wanted to do so. _She would be the one to make me come out of my shell_, I thought with some satisfaction. When I pulled her close, I buried my nose in her hair, breathing in her cream-and-roses scent. Somehow, just the smell of her and the feel of her in my arms calmed me. I no longer could remember why I had ever doubted that I would live through the previous story. There was _no way_ I would have let myself miss out on this.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

After a minute or so, Severus backed away from the embrace. I thought he was going to push me away completely, but he just put his hands on my cheeks and smiled faintly at me. My heart nearly burst with pride and happiness at knowing I had brought that beautiful smile to his face.

He made to get up, and I helped to steady him. He didn't end up needing it, but I was glad I had been there, just in case. "How are you feeling?" I asked.

Severus looked at me and said, "Like I never took a poisonous arrow to my right heel."

I smiled for a moment, but then I frowned in confusion. "When I found you, you were coughing and sputtering. If you feel fine, why—"

He cut me off with a hand to my lips. I very nearly kissed his fingertips, but I managed to refrain. "I inhaled some sand when I tried to respond to you. I am fine, truly, Hermione. Don't worry about me."

I wanted to say 'I always worry about you,' but I didn't. I wasn't ready for that, and I doubted he was, either. So I just nodded and said, "You're Noah, I think. This story is Noah's Ark."

"Ah," he said. "I suppose I'll have to build the boat, then, yeah? _Lovely_."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

Hermione fell into a fit of giggles at that, and while I adored the sound—and was happy to know I could make her laugh like that—I wanted to know what exactly was funny. Unable to speak just then, she pointed over my right shoulder.

_Oh. It's already built. A great boat on dry land right behind me and I didn't see it. _That's_ what's funny._

"Well," I said, "let's go find out if there are any animals on it already."

Unfortunately, there weren't. That was the job that the book was giving to us. Hermione was ecstatic—she was apparently an animal-lover, which shouldn't surprise me given that her current pet was a half-Kneazle—as she dragged me through the desert to hunt down a male and female of each animal.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

I couldn't remember the last time I had had so much fun or laughed so much. I gave Severus the job of checking whether each animal was male or female—he _really_ didn't like that, but he complied—and watching him do so was rather entertaining. It was my job to get a hold on each animal and keep them still while he checked for the gender. Together we led our spoils back to the ark.

Eventually, Noah's sons and daughters and their spouses joined the animal hunt. When we were finished, we began to collect seeds from every plant available to us. It took several days, but we were finally prepared for our journey on the ark.

The morning after we had loaded everything onto the ship, the rains began. No sooner had we entered the ship and closed the doors than the drops came down in earnest. Within a day, a foot of the bottom of the ark was already submerged in water. We did not look outside, afraid to see the suffering that the rest of the world was undergoing. Instead, we stayed ensconced in our own little world, each couple occupying a different quarter of the ark.

Severus and I spent a lot of time talking, getting to know each other. The first day, we covered our favorite branches of magic, Severus's research, and my desire to obtain an apprenticeship in potions.

He raised an eyebrow at that. "I had always assumed you would continue with Transfiguration or Arithmancy. Based on your scores and interest level, that is."

I shook my head. "No. They are wonderful subjects, of course, and very interesting. But…maybe I'm ridiculous, but I'd rather go into a field that _doesn't _come naturally to me. I want my life's work to be a challenge."

He raised both eyebrows this time, surprised at my statement. "Even though, with your natural talent, you could contribute much to either of those particular fields? You shock me, Miss Granger."

I tried to keep my disappointment off of my face. _So we're back to titles, huh?_

Unfortunately, I couldn't keep the snark out of my voice. "Well, _Professor_, I _had_ planned on asking you for an apprenticeship, but since you seem to disapprove of my choice, I guess I'll just have to find someone else to study under."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I was momentarily confused at her sudden change in attitude, but the way she had said 'Professor' made me think. _Ah_, I realized, _she doesn't like that I reverted to 'Miss Granger' instead of 'Hermione.'_

"I don't want you to ask someone else," I said quietly, soothingly. "That's not what I meant at all. I was just shocked. And Hermione"—at this her head snapped up—"we were discussing academics. You are still my student. I just felt it would be more appropriate if I called you by the name I use for you in a classroom setting." I took a deep breath before looking down and away, saying, "I did not mean to offend you."

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

It was probably the closest Severus Snape had ever gotten to apologizing to anyone, so it was good enough for me. "I'm sorry, Severus. I didn't mean to snap. And you're right; we should keep academic things professional, despite our…current circumstances." I looked up at him with a contrite expression. "Forgive me?"

He gave me a somewhat bewildered smile and said, "Of course. Will you…. Will you forgive me?"

I smiled at him and said, "Yes, Severus, I forgive you."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_If I could see that smile and hear those words every day for the rest of my life, it would be more than enough to make up for all of the hell I've been through in my life._

_How can one woman—and a student, at that—make me feel like my life is worth living?_

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

**Day 6**

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

The next few days were spent discussing trivial things. Music, books, current events, plays, movies—all things entertainment, magical and muggle, were covered in less than a week. Hermione even brought up the subject of games and sports. I was shocked because I hadn't realized such things interested her.

Smiling wryly, she said, "I know that's the vibe I put off. But really that's not it. I love sports, playing and watching, but because I'm a wretched flyer and scared of heights, I always held a little resentment for Quidditch. If I could fly a broom without screaming my head off, I would have probably tried out for the House team. It made me bitter, I guess.

I laughed heartily—the most I've laughed in nearly twenty years—at the expression on her face. She really was angry that the wizarding world's favorite sport was something she couldn't play because of a simple phobia. She smiled at my laughter. That shocked me, too—I would have thought it would scare anyone to know that Severus Snape was capable of finding humor in a situation. They'd be surprised; I had merely become very adept at hiding my enjoyment of a situation. (It wouldn't do to laugh in front of the Dark Lord.) But somehow, with Hermione, I didn't feel the need to hide any longer. I knew she wouldn't judge me, wouldn't use her knowledge of me to my disadvantage. She deserved to know the real me, because she _wanted_ to know me. She actually _cared_ about me.

When I had finally calmed myself, I said, "Have you ever actually tried to tackle that fear of heights? I'm sure you would be an excellent player if you could get over your acrophobia."

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Leave it to you to know the _actual_ name for it." Then she cocked her head to the side. "Do you fly? I've never seen you on a broom before."

I shook my head. "I've never been a great flyer. I can use a broom, yes, but other than the mandatory class during my first year, I never had much experience. I grew up in a muggle neighborhood, and my father abhorred magic, so I wasn't able to fly at home. And at school, the pitch and the school brooms were always occupied by the House teams, so I rarely got a chance to practice. After I became a teacher, I would sometimes practice over the summer holiday, but not often enough to get really good." I paused a moment. "Why do you ask?"

A very attractive blush crept over Hermione's face. "Well," she began, "you're the only one I've told that I would like to learn, if I could get over my fear. I thought that…maybe you'd…." She trailed off, but her intention was clear.

"Perhaps," I said quietly, "we could take a break once in a while during your apprenticeship next year, and I can help you master your fear of heights, teach you to ride a broom." I looked at her slyly. The smile she gave me was radiant.

"You mean…? You'll take me on as an apprentice?!" She threw herself at me again, laughing and saying, "Thank you, Severus, thank you! Oh, this means so much to me!" I laughed with her, embracing her back.

"Calm down, woman. Not a word of this to anyone until I speak to Minerva about it. And by the way, if you tell _anyone_ that I gave in so easily, you'll be in for it." She pulled back slightly to see if I was teasing. I was pleased to find that she could read the amusement in my eyes.

She sat back, smirked, and said, "Oh, certainly, sir. My lips are sealed." Then she beamed at me again. _I could get used to that._

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

**Day 9**

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

As much as I loved Severus's company, things were starting to get very boring on the ark. We hadn't even gotten through a _quarter_ of our time, and we were already running out of things to talk about. Eventually, I reverted to my eleven-year-old self (for the second time on this trip, I should mention) and decided we needed to do something fun.

"Severus, I'm bored. Let's play a game. Please?"

He huffed and said, "It's better than lying here staring at the ceiling. What game shall we play?" I had never heard him sound petulant before. _The claustrophobia must be getting to him, too_.

"How about Twenty Questions? I'll pick something or someone, and you have to figure out who or what it is in twenty or fewer yes-or-no questions."

He sat up and said, "Alright, tell me when you've got something."

I thought for a moment before looking at him and saying, "Ready."

"Is it an animal?"

"Yes."

"Is it a human?"

"Yes."

"Female?"

"No."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "Ok, is he a wizard?"

I smiled. "No."

"Is he living?"

"Yes."

"Is he famous?"

_Hmm, how to answer that one?_ "Define 'famous.'"

He suddenly looked very interested in our game. _Good, that's what I was going for_. "Are there a significant number of people who know, or at least think they know, a fair amount about him but have never met him before?"

I considered again. "Hmm, I'd have to say 'no,' then."

"I'm intrigued now. Alright, how many questions was that?" He counted in his head. "Six?" At my nod, he continued. "Is he an academic?"

I had to keep myself from laughing. "No, he is not."

"Political figure?" No. "Entertainer?" No. "Athlete?"

"I'd consider athletes to be entertainers, so, no."

Severus huffed. He obviously didn't like that I was outwitting him. To be fair, though, he wasn't putting much thought into his questions. "You have ten questions left. Don't keep wasting them." I couldn't resist giving him a hint.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "You purposely picked someone that would be nigh-impossible to guess, didn't you?"

I smiled widely. "Yep!" I couldn't stop myself from saying, "Nine left now."

He looked bewildered. "What? That doesn't count!"

I smirked. "It was a yes-or-no question, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but…. Oh, fine. You win."

"The game?"

"NO! I still have nine questions. Give me a second." I waited for nearly two minutes before he said, "To your knowledge, have I met this individual?"

I smiled. "Yes."

He looked both pleased and disappointed with this response. Suddenly, something dawned on him. _Oh, I think I'm busted._ He narrowed his eyes at me and said, "Is he a muggle?"

Smirking, I said, "No."

"That's unfair!"

"No, it's not. You asked if he was a wizard, and he isn't. But he isn't a muggle, either."

"Is he a squib?"

"Yes."

He growled. "Is it Filch?"

"Yes!" I said happily. "Well done, Severus, you had five more questions left!" He still glowered at me. "What's wrong? You won!"

He stubbornly set his jaw and looked away. I was utterly confused. I moved to kneel before his chair and said, "Severus, what's wrong?" I put my hand on his knee in what I hoped was a comforting gesture.

He sighed and put his hand on top of my own. "Nothing. I apologize, Hermione. I am already in a horrible mood because we're cooped up in here with nothing to do or read. Add on top of that the fact that a nineteen-year-old nearly bested me in a game of Twenty Questions, and you have a rather surly Severus Snape." He sighed and said, "I'm sorry."

I smiled, flipped my hand over to squeeze his, and said, "It's okay. I understand. I'm sick of being here, too. You're right—this would be infinitely better if we had something to read."

He smirked at me in agreement.

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

**Day 23**

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

"Sweet Merlin, will it never end?"

It was rare to hear Hermione speak that way, so I looked over at her questioningly. I had thought she was napping. "What's wrong?"

She sighed deeply and said, "The animal racket makes it nearly impossible for me to sleep, I'm sore from being unable to exercise more than walking across the ark, I miss my friends, I want to read something, and now I think I'm starting my period, which totally _sucks!_"

I wasn't entirely unfamiliar with "feminine problems," as I was a Head of House at Hogwarts, but it didn't mean I was entirely comfortable with the topic, either. Nonetheless, I knew she would need someone to talk to about it, so I sat up and said, "I wonder how that's possible. I thought for sure that we were only present here in our minds. Our physical states shouldn't have anything to do with it. Unless…"

She sat up and looked at me questioningly. "Unless what?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "You don't think this version of the story specifically mentions it, do you?"

Her brow scrunched in thought. "I doubt it. It's a children's book." Then she thought for a moment. "Wait. You said we exist here in our minds?" I just nodded. "_Damn_ it! That means I did this to myself!"

Totally confused—and utterly shocked at her language—I said, "How would you have done that?"

She huffed and said, "Yesterday I was thinking how weird it was to go this long without getting a period, and _this morning_, I woke up with cramps and a lot of irritability. I did this to myself, dang it!" She looked incredibly angry with herself.

_This is going to be an awkward few days._

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_This sucks. I have no way to take care of this here! No potions, no aspirin, no…hygiene products. What am I going to do?_

"Hermione, I might have an idea." I looked up at him hopefully. The fact that he wasn't freaking out was amazing enough—Ron and Harry always get uncomfortable and find a way out of the room when I mention my "womanly problems," as they call it. Now he wanted to help me?

The man was incredible. _I love you._

"Please, _please_ tell me that whatever it is will work!"

He did look slightly uncomfortable, but he kept talking anyway. "The best I can think of would be healing and stasis charms."

I slumped my shoulders. "But we don't have our wands."

He looked at me skeptically. "You don't think I made it through two wars as a spy on the Dark Lord and his servants and still cannot do wandless healing spells, do you?" I felt like an idiot. _Of course_ he could do wandless healing magic; this is _Severus Snape_ we're talking about! I made to stand to go over to him, but he stopped me. "No, you stay. This will be easier if you're lying down anyway. I'll come over there."

As irrational as it was, I was grateful and happy that he didn't want me to exert myself when I was in such pain and discomfort.

When he was next to me, he kneeled down on the floor, level with my abdomen. With an odd look on his face, he said, "Now, I know the pain-relief charm will work. I've helped young ladies from my House with them before. I am unsure about the stasis charm, though. I have never tried that in this type of situation. It may do nothing." I nodded my permission, and he set to work.

He rolled up his sleeves—I couldn't see the Dark Mark, as the inner side of his left forearm faced away from me—and hovered his hands about six inches above my waist.

You know that tingly feeling you get when someone puts their finger close to your nose but doesn't quite touch it? Yeah, that was the feeling in my stomach just then. But I don't think he was close enough for that to be quite the reason I was feeling it.

_Hermione, you're so far gone they couldn't see you with a telescope._

Severus began murmuring to himself, and I couldn't catch the words. All I knew was that, after a few moments, the pain diminished to the tiniest ache in my belly. I sighed happily and said, "Oh Merlin, _thank_ you, Severus. That feels so much better."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I blushed at her tone and her words, but I kept my focus. Quietly, I contemplated what I knew of the female body's processes. I determined the stasis charm would be safe to attempt, but I was not entirely certain that it would work. Still, I had to try.

"Hermione, I need you to relax and concentrate for me. You said you brought this on by thinking about it? Well now I need you to think about your…cycle…ending. I think it should have the same effect, if I couple it with the stasis charm. Can you do that?"

She hummed her agreement, closing her eyes and doing as I asked. I focused on my inner magic and drew it out, casting a form of the charm that I thought would be most beneficial. When it was done, I remained next to her on the floor, sitting Indian style. _Nothing to do but wait and see if it worked._

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

About an hour later, I came to a conclusion.

"Severus," I said, full of honesty and gratitude, "you are, without a doubt, the bravest and most intelligent man I know." I sighed in contentment, grateful for both the absence of pain and the prevention of a potentially embarrassing and degrading situation.

He blushed and said, "I'm glad I could help."

I didn't think he understood what I was saying, so I sat up to explain it to him. "Look at me, Severus." I waited until he obliged before continuing. "Let's for a moment ignore the fact that you nearly-singlehandedly saved The Boy Who Lived from becoming The Boy Who Could Have Had a Destiny If He Hadn't Died Prematurely. Let's ignore that you put your life, health, and sanity on the line to spy on Voldemort, a sadistic megalomaniac, for a total of nearly six years—I'm counting my fourth year even though he hadn't completely risen yet, because you still played the part of a Death Eater. Let's forget for right now that you put your entire adult life on hold in order to ensure that, eventually, the world would be a safe place for witches, wizards, and muggles to live. Those things already necessitate that you are brave, selfless, intelligent, cunning, detail-oriented, observant, and dedicated.

"If you ignore all of those things and only use this instance as evidence, you are still the bravest man I know, because every other male in my life—my father included—runs from the room with a red face and a flimsy excuse if I even come _close_ to mentioning my period. Add to that the fact that you managed to heal me and stave off said period with _wandless_ magic, and you have become a Merlin of your time." I smiled at him, gratitude again showing in my eyes.

He had a very healthy flush to his face now. I would venture to guess that he wasn't used to getting any kind of praise, let alone the glowing commendation I had just given.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I didn't know what to say. It was amazing to me that she could even _articulate _that depth of feeling, let alone feel such things about _me_.

_You're perfect, and I want you._

_But I can't have you, and it's killing me._

Tentatively, I looked into her eyes and said, "I…I don't know what to say."

She smiled again and shrugged. "You don't have to say anything."

Nevertheless, I _needed_ to let her know how much that meant to me. "Thank you," I whispered fervently. She smiled at me again, though there was a touch of wariness in her eyes.

I couldn't believe what she did then.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

I couldn't resist. I simply _had_ to show him what he meant to me, even if he was angry with me afterward. After that kind of thank-you, what girl wouldn't do what I did?

I put my right hand on his left cheek, held his chin with my thumb, and pressed my lips gently but firmly to his right cheek. Before I moved back, I softly said, "I meant every word." Unable to look at him out of embarrassment, I laid back down on my blankets and rolled to my side, facing away from him.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

When she had lain down, facing the wall of our little room, I sat staring at the back of her head, my hand pressed to the spot on my cheek that her lips had just graced.

_I think…I think I'm in love with you, Hermione Granger._

After another moment, I mirrored her actions, moving to my bed and attempting to get some sleep.

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

**Day 39**

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

Nothing happened after I kissed him. We went back to being cordial, getting to know each other, and establishing what we both hoped would become a firm friendship.

Or, at least, that's what we told ourselves.

I couldn't help but think every day of how he'd fallen for the only other woman he had ever truly considered to be a friend. _Maybe there's still hope for me_, I thought. But then, he hadn't mentioned the kiss at all in the sixteen days since then. Maybe that was a freak occurrence, something I shouldn't come to expect.

The night before the last day of rain, we were gathered together with the rest of Noah's family. Eventually, the other couples began to notice their "parents'" lack of displays of affection. One of Noah's daughters actually pulled me aside and asked if 'Father' and I were having a disagreement. I assured her that wasn't the case, but she wanted proof.

"Father," she called out to him. I tried to shush her, but she wouldn't have it. "Mother is feeling a little neglected. The rest of the women have their men all cuddled up to them. You should do the same for Mother."

My face was on fire, but Severus took it in stride. He came to me, shooed our "daughter" away, and sat down, his arm around my shoulders. He put his mouth to my ear and said, "What have you been telling our so-called children?"

I looked at him warily and said, "Nothing, I swear. She asked me if we were having a fight, and when I told her we weren't, she wouldn't believe me because we weren't showing affection. Honestly, it had nothing to do with me."

Nodding, Severus said, "I suppose we have been rather remiss in acting the part, haven't we? We still have one more day on the boat, and we're supposed to be fulfilling the requirements of the story as closely as possible." He looked at me timidly (_Severus Snape, timid? So cute!_) and said, "Hermione, is it alright if, for the sake of the story…I kiss you?"

My breath caught in my throat. I wanted to shout out 'Yes, yes, please kiss me, I've been waiting ages,' but I knew better. He would be frightened off if he knew how much I wanted him, how much I loved him, how _long_ I had loved him. It would scare him to death to know that he'd had a sixteen-year-old student crushing on him all through her fifth year of school. Instead, I said, "Yes, I think that would be alright."

There was an unfathomable look in his eyes as he took my chin in his hand and stared for a moment at my lips.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_How long has it been since I've kissed someone? Ten years? Twelve? How ridiculously sad._

_What if I'm too out of practice to make this good enough?_

_Hell, if Weasley is the last person she kissed, I'm sure I'd be hard pressed to do worse than him._

_Stop stalling, you wanker, and __**kiss her**__!_

I gently cupped her chin with my hand, staring at her lips. _She's willing to let me kiss her? Who __**is**__ this woman? And why haven't I realized before how much of a treasure she is?_

Carefully, slowly, I leaned down so that our lips were level. I took a deep breath, gathered my courage, and closed the distance between our lips.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

Heaven.

That's what it felt like. His lips were incredibly soft as they moved against my own. He put just the right amount of pressure on my mouth, and he kept it chaste. If there ever was a perfect kiss, at any point in history, this would be it.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_Salazar, Godric, and Merlin, if you have any power at all, please let me keep her._

It was the most exquisite moment of my life. I had never felt so much love, affection, respect, want, and need in a single act as when her lips moved with mine. The kiss was innocent and pure, despite the desire it evoked in me, as pure as the woman with whom I shared it. It was utterly perfect. I had the most amazing witch wrapped in my arm, her lips pressed to mine, and I never wanted to let her go.

And then, far, _far_ too soon, it was over.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

I was completely lost in him.

That is, until the daughter that had provoked the occurrence spoke loudly and said, "I take it back, Mother. There is no possibility that you were quarreling. That kiss was obviously full of love and want."

I blushed heavily, still looking at Severus while she spoke. I tried to tell him with my eyes that she spoke the truth, because despite my House, I had nowhere near the courage necessary to tell him how much I loved him.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I nearly yelled at the girl for interrupting, but then I heard what she was saying. Was it as obvious to Hermione as it was to this woman how much I loved her, wanted her?

Then I noticed Hermione's eyes. Could she possibly…?

_No_, I decided. _She is surprised by the kiss, that is all. She does not want me back. She is a friend, and she sees me no other way._

I kept my arm around her for the remainder of the evening—for appearances' sake, of course—and we said nothing of the kiss as we retired for the evening.

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

**Day 40**

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

The next morning, Hermione shook my shoulder gently to wake me. "Severus, you need to get up. The story is about to end."

I groaned as I stood—by now, Hermione was very aware that I am not a morning person—threw my cloak on over my whatever-you-call-it-that-I'm-wearing, and followed her to the deck of the ark.

It had stopped raining, and so we sent out a dove. Some time later—during which I made sure to hold Hermione's hand, so that our "children" wouldn't be suspicious (_Yeah, Sev, keep telling yourself that._)—the bird returned with a branch in its beak. A rainbow lit up the sky, God's promise to never destroy the Earth by water again, and then…

Blackness.

_Finally._

**So? What do you think? I hope this was a better way to end a chapter than the last one. I tried not to leave you hanging on by your pinkies this time, haha. Let me know how you feel about this one! :D**


	10. Chapter 9

**I finally was able to watch the Disney movie that goes with this chapter! I couldn't remember much of it, and I don't have my own copy of this one, but I was at my parents' house this weekend and was able to watch it, so I could finally finish writing this chapter. I hope you guys like it!**

**Let's see what the conspirators are up to, first, shall we?**

- o0O0o - **Luna's POV** - o0O0o -

I couldn't understand how shocked everyone was that I figured out that Hermione and Professor Snape were in love with each other. I am, after all, a fairly observant person.

And there were Wingdalls swarming around them constantly. They obviously were in love.

I told the group as much.

Draco looked puzzled. "What are Wingdalls?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Smiling serenely at him, I said, "They're creatures about the size of a thumbnail that are attracted to concealed love. They swarm around people who have fallen in love with each other but have not verbally expressed their feelings. I suppose you could say they feed off of the UET: unresolved emotional tension. They get their energy from the UET, and after they've digested it, they release particles that, in humans, induce courage. Because of that, they help people fall in love."

Ginny, Ron, and Harry gave me looks with varying degrees of skepticism, and McGonagall simply ignored me. But Draco seemed interested. "Why haven't I seen them?"

"Oh!" I exclaimed, excited that someone believed me for once. "Human eyes can't see them—just like our ears can't hear everything that dogs' ears can. Experts aren't certain how many creatures _can_ see them, but we know that reptiles and birds can, because certain Animagi have confirmed it." _That got their attention. Even McGonagall can't ignore eyewitness accounts_. The others were all now paying more attention to my conversation with Draco. "We also know that they exist because the courage they induce can be felt by anyone in their proximity, not just by the lovers. There are a few good books with lots of evidence on the subject."

Draco smiled slightly at me. It made him look rather handsome—not that he wasn't before. I just hadn't really paid attention. "You'll have to show me those books sometime…Luna."

I smiled shyly, biting my lip. He was making me slightly nervous, smiling at me that way and calling me by my first name (as opposed to 'Looney' or 'Lovegood'). "Sure, Draco….Anytime."

- o0O0o - **Ginny's POV** - o0O0o -

_Wow. Luna and Draco. Didn't see that one coming._

_Good for them._

I looked back at the book. "There hasn't been a page turn in a while. What's taking so long?"

McGonagall looked up from the book. "I have a theory. I think time is passing as usual for Severus and Miss Granger, but the book moves much more quickly here in the real world—similar to the way a dream may seem to last hours but usually takes mere minutes. And right now, it's moving pretty slowly because they are in the story of Noah and the Ark."

Luna put on a sympathetic (though still slightly dreamy) look, Draco swore under his breath (lucky for him McGonagall missed it), and Harry and Ron winced. My jaw dropped.

"You mean they have to spend the entire forty days trapped in that Ark with all those animals, no beds, and only each other for company?" Draco's face was unbelieving. Honestly, that boy was too spoiled. He needed to rough it for a few weeks—maybe that would help remove the stick from his rear end.

"And how would _you_ know a Bible story?" Harry asked, looking at Draco in confusion.

Draco huffed. "Potter, just because I'm a wizard doesn't mean my family isn't religious. We attend church regularly in the Malfoy family." His nose was slightly raised, but his tone was not nearly as condescending as it used to be.

"Oh," Harry said. "I knew most wizarding families celebrated Christmas, but I thought it had more to do with Pagan traditions than Christianity."

I looked at him and said, "Sometimes that's the truth. My family doesn't regularly attend church, but we consider ourselves Christian, and I went to Sunday school as a kid. We generally don't go anymore, but we do still celebrate the holidays for their religious basis. And as an excuse to get presents," I added with a sly smile. Harry and Ron chuckled.

A dreamy voice called us back to the matter at hand. "Oh, look. The page is turning."

"What's next?" Draco asked. He was too far from the book to be able to read the next story's title.

I looked over and said, "_The Jungle Book_."

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_Great. I'm the girl in the village that lures Mowgli out of the jungle. Which means I get to sit here and wait for him to come to me. Well, I might as well enjoy the time I've got._

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

"Mancub!"

I blinked in the sudden darkness, wondering where in the hell I was, not to mention where Hermione had gotten to.

"_Man_cub! Come when I call you, boy!" The voice had a gravelly, growling quality to it. Then it hit me—where I was, _who_ I was, and what the creature was that was calling for me.

I crawled out of the den and looked up into the face of a sleek, black panther. Bagheera was sitting on his haunches, scowling slightly at my slow response. "Yes, Bagheera?"

"I've come to take you on a walk with me, Mowgli." The panther rose up on his feet and walked toward me. He was a beautiful animal: powerful, stealthy, and swift. The cat certainly looked the part of a fearsome predator, though I knew from my knowledge of the story that he was really an old softy on the inside.

I knew the only way to find Hermione would be to move through the story, so I ran to the panther and said, "Alright, Bagheera. Let's go!" I wouldn't ordinarily be so…enthusiastic, but…I wanted to find Hermione.

_That girl's hold over me is beginning to be a problem._

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

_This story is going to kill me._

My adventures with Bagheera, the elephants, and Baloo were making me loosen up more than I had since my early childhood. To my surprise, I was…actually enjoying myself. I missed Hermione, but my animal companions were entertaining, and it was good to explore the jungle with them.

It became clear to me fairly quickly that this story was based on the Disney movie and not the original book, because there was singing—a lot of it. And surprisingly, though I'd only seen the movie once, I remembered a lot of the words to the songs. And that was good because Baloo expected me to sing along to "Bare Necessities." It was…sort of fun.

At least, it was enjoyable until the monkeys showed up.

I've never been on a rollercoaster, but I imagine even that would be better than being tossed from hand to foot through the trees. Those things were really annoying.

And then I met King Louis.

That orangutan could swing—and I don't mean from trees. That was the only good thing about him, though.

Of course, I have to admit that seeing Baloo dressed in a grass skirt and attempting to pass himself off as a chimp was rather amusing. Afterward, I laughed for a good ten minutes.

Yes. I, Severus Snape, laughed. Shocking, I know.

- o0O0o - - o0O0o -

I found the battle with Shere Khan to be rather satisfying. Being able to give the deep-voiced tiger what was coming to him reminded me that I no longer had a master to obey.

Largely thanks to Potter, Weasley, and Hermione, of course.

_I should remember to thank her for that._

Of course, the battle wasn't all _good_. Baloo was injured.

It had been so long since I'd seen the movie that I couldn't remember if he was actually dead or not, but even if he had survived, seeing him lying in the mud, bruised and broken, was…painful. Bagheera gave a testimonial for the brave bear, and then we started walking away.

"Hey, don't stop now, Baggy, you're doing great!" we heard from behind us. "There's more—lots more!"

Bagheera and I turned around, and I ran to Baloo, putting my arms around his neck and hugging him (because that's what Mowgli would do, of course). With fond annoyance, the panther responded, "Why, you—you big fraud!" I didn't hear what else the panther said because Baloo laughed as he pushed me up to his shoulders and stood.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

When the lightning started, I knew that Severus was close by. He would be battling Shere Khan, and I would need to be down at the stream the next morning so he would see me and leave the jungle.

I had missed him terribly. The days spent at the village were utterly boring. I was so grateful that women no longer were expected to slave away at home while the men went out and had all of the fun.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

When the battle was over and Baloo was awake, the sun was just coming up. Baloo, Bagheera, and I walked a little ways through the jungle.

And that's when I heard it.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

At dawn, I went down to the stream with a large clay jar. It was my chore to get water every morning, obviously, as that's how my character was supposed to meet Mowgli.

As I left the village boundaries to go to the stream, I began singing.

"_My own home, my own home, my own home, my own home…._"

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_Is that Hermione singing?_

She had a lovely singing voice. I broke away from my animal companions and moved toward the enticing sound. Baloo and Bagheera followed me to a parting in the underbrush. There was a stream, and Hermione was at the other bank, carrying a large pot for water and singing as she walked to the water's edge.

"_Father's hunting in the forest, mother's cooking in the home. I must go to fetch the water 'til the day that I am grown._

As she sang, I told my companions that I wanted a better look and climbed up a tree, clinging to a limb as I leaned out, watching and listening to the beautiful creature that I had so quickly come to admire and want.

"'_Til I'm grown, 'til I'm grown…I must go to fetch the water 'til the day that I am grown._"

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

When I finished the first verse, I heard Severus slip out of the tree and crash into the stream.

Smirking and chuckling, I ignored him.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_How embarrassing. Well done, Severus! _Very_ attractive, falling out of trees._

_Idiot._

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

I made myself stop laughing so that I could continue with the next verse. (And I had to force myself not to look at Severus while I sang).

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

_I know that she heard me fall out of the tree. Why is she ignoring me?_

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

"_Then I will have a handsome husband and a daughter of my own, and I'll send her to fetch the water. I'll be cooking in the home._"

I could feel my face reddening as I sang, and I kept my eyes on my water jug.

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I could see Hermione blushing furiously as she sang the second verse, and I noted that she wasn't looking at me.

_Could she possibly…?_

The braver part of me whispered, _You'll never know until you make a move._

I resolved to do just that…as soon as we had a moment to actually talk about something we _wanted_ to talk about, that is. I found it incredibly ironic that I was thinking that not long after getting out of a story in which we had 40 days to do that very thing.

I guess it's true that we often want what we don't have.

And right then, I didn't have Hermione.

Suddenly, she stood, still softly singing, and I climbed out of the river to follow her up the path. When she was a short way up the slope, the jug resting on her head lost its balance and fell, rolling toward the water and spilling down the path.

I could hear Baloo say to Bagheera, "She did that on purpose!"

"Obviously," the panther responded.

_Now I remember the ending_. I picked up the pot, refilled it, and stood, offering it to Hermione wordlessly.

- o0O0o - **Hermione's POV** - o0O0o -

_If he's going to play this to detail, then so am I._ When Severus held out the jar to me, I smiled coyly, swayed a little, and turned. I peeked back at him before I started up the path again, still singing softly.

Just before the gates of the village, Severus said, "Hermione, wait."

I turned, wondering why he suddenly broke from character. "Yes?"

He stepped up to me and whispered, "I have a feeling that the story will end when we walk through the village gates, and I wanted to say something."

"Sure, Severus," I encouraged. "What is it?"

He took a deep breath and began. "While I was fighting the tiger, I thought of something I had never said to you and your friends. I just…I wanted to thank you—all three of you—for getting rid of the Dark Lord. I know that…sounds ridiculous, but I…I really am grateful for it." He sighed, looked away for a moment, and then turned back to me. "For the first time in two decades I'm serving no master other than my own conscious, and I have you three to thank for it."

- o0O0o - **Severus's POV** - o0O0o -

I wasn't expecting the friendly smile that graced her face at that. Putting her hand on my cheek, she said, "I'm so glad that we were able to get you out of that, Severus. Not that there weren't _many_ other reasons to get rid of the bastard, but I'm happy that you're a free man again."

Then she leaned over and kissed my cheek again, blushing prettily before turning and walking to the village gate. Just as I caught up with her there, the story dissolved into darkness again.

I hope this chapter worked out well. Let me know what you think.

As a side note, if you're following my other story, it's being put on hold for a while. I backed myself into a corner, and I may have to rewrite some stuff to get myself out of it, but writer's block has set in, so I can't figure out where to break off and start revising. It'll probably be a few months before anything happens there. I'm sorry to disappoint.

And lastly, part of the reason that writer's block has set in for _Founders' Fountain_ is that another HP fanfic I have been working on (but of which I haven't published/posted anything) has taken up residence in my brain again. To avoid another problem like with my Draco/Hermione story, I decided to have at least half completely written and revised before I start posting. Since it's become a serious plot bunny, that probably will be before the end of the year (crosses fingers). Just an FYI.

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated! :D


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